


Alchemy is a Science

by ThatFanGirlWithNoLife



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alchemy, Crossover, Hogwarts, Magic, Teacher!Ed, Theres an oc but no romance for her tbh
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-16
Updated: 2017-02-05
Packaged: 2018-01-25 09:24:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 45
Words: 46,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1643708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatFanGirlWithNoLife/pseuds/ThatFanGirlWithNoLife
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(This is transferred from my Fanfiction account)<br/>With the war closing in Dumbledore seeks help from a different country, Amestris. Mustang, now Furhur sends Edward to teach these "ignorant baboons" about Alchemy and the law of equivalent exchange as well as protect a certain wizard. Obviously the Golden Trio wants in on the new professors secrets and learn Alchemy. Will they be beaten at their own game, by a Slytherin no less? The oc is not important, slight au.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Jade walked into the compartment she took every year since 1st year, now 4 years later she made sure that she arrived early in order to snag it. She took the window seat and read Pride and Prejudice to pass the time.   
"Still doing the 'full education' thing?" Asked Marcy her friend of 6 years standing at the door, she saw her friends pocket watch and book, "Still into the Victorian Era too I see."  
"Yeah actually I am." Jade put her book away, really all hope of finishing it gone now with her here."And Victoria was a pretty kick-ass lady, she ran her country well."  
"Why though? Why would you do that extra work huh? Just act like a normal wizard merlin's beard, you'd think a slytherin wouldn't want to know anything about muggles." She sighed dramatically falling onto the seat.  
" Aw shut your trap. And you'd expect a ravenclaw to want to have more knowledge now wouldn't you? Plus the watch makes me look cool." She nudged her friend playfully.  
"I'm smart not hardworking, I swear that Hat made a mistake or you'd be a hufflepuff." Marcy leveled her with a glare conveniently ignoring her watch comeback because really it did look cool with it's Alice in Wonderland engraving on the front."Pfft, learning both muggle and wizard studies at the same time, how do you even?"  
"Simple really, the homework isn't all that bad and my moms teaching me, not an actually school/tutor so I can get away for lateness."  
"Too much work if you ask me, I would just stick to just wizard stuff, less math that way."  
"Yes well you see, I didn't ask you."  
And in this matter they carried on to Hogwarts  
_____________________________________________________  
At the same time this was happening, a certain "Boy-who-lived" was sitting with his friends and talking about a certain Order of the Phoenix.  
"Who do you think they meant would be the extra protection?" Harry asked his friends, wanting to know who it was and whether he would like them or not.  
"I don't know Harry but, it's Dumbledore's orders so they must be decent at least" replied the smartest witch of their age. She was also curious but only a little less than Harry focusing more on the fact that it was their O.W.L year and getting a good- no, perfect grade was essential to their future. Ron, it seemed, shared her thoughts.  
"Yeah mate, you know we can trust Dumbledore, he knows what he's doing. He wouldn't have sent for these people if he didn't think it was necessary." Or at least some of it.  
"I guess you're right" said Harry as he leaned back, " Well, who do you guys think will be the DADA professor this year?"  
And so, they too raced along the track to Hogwarts.  
_____________________________________________________  
Edward Elric aka The Fullmetal Alchemist marched into the Fuhrer Mustang aka The Flame Alchemist's office alone that day as Al, now back in his normal body, was at the animal shelter picking up a cat as Ed had finally relented in letting him have one.   
"Well hello Fullmetal, to what do I owe this immense honor of your presence?" Mustang said with a smirk no doubt in his mind about why his subordinate was before him.  
"Don't mock me you Bastard, you know exactly what I'm talking about!" Ed half screamed trying to keep his cool but failing miserably as he basically threw his papers at the Flame Alchemist. "I'm talking about you sending me to a 'magic' school to teach wizards about alchemy! One, magic does not exist, two, I AM NOT A TEACHER!"  
"Fullmetal" the Fuhrer said with a sigh after the short blond finished his rant "one, magic does indeed exist, two, this mission is something of extreme delicacy and although I loath to unleash your wrath upon those poor wizards, I cannot trust the matter to another."  
Although the two men had their differences and disputes, they fully and completely trusted each other with their lives. Their quarrels now more for fun rather than malice. Ed becoming one of Mustang's minions as he so affectionately called them, rising together up the ladder of the military. Now finally realizing his dream of being Further Mustang had set to work putting the country right, and boy was he good at it. Of course, relationships with Ishbalan were still rocky due to many on both sides being afraid but, they were getting there. Ed being already known as the people's alchemist did most of the public while Mustang dealt with politics, they made a good team.  
"Why can't you send Armstrong? He's loyal isn't he?" Ed knew he was whining but he frankly did not care.  
"You do realize you're talking about Alex Louis Armstrong who for some reason is always followed by pink sprinkles? Do you want more paper work?" Mustang raised his eyebrow surely Ed knew how that would turn out, more paper work for everyone involved and then some. Both men paused and gave a shudder.  
"Fine I'll go, how much time do I have?"  
"Two hours" Mustang said casually looking at his pocket watch. Poor Ed stood there a bit before running from the room yelling about 'how the hell would he explain this to Al and Winry?' And 'I'm so glad I didn't unpack completely!' And other things to that effect.


	2. Chapter 2

Approximately one hour and fifty minutes later Edward and Alphonse Elric walked into his office, the younger holding a tabby cat.  
"I assume you're ready to go Fullmetal?"  
"Yeah I am" Ed responded with his normal amount of sass.  
Suddenly, an old man, with a beard long enough that it looked like a scarf appeared with a loud pop. Immediately Ed clapped his hand a and created a fist from the stone floor which grabbed and trapped the old man 3 feet in the air. Al and Ed both stood ready to clap again if need be while Mustang stood to the side amused at their reactions and at the old mans surprised face. The man took out a stick for some reason and tapped the hand that held him. Nothing. The man looked so surprised that obviously something was expected to happen although the auto-mailed alchemist knew not what. Mustang it seemed both knew and had had his fill of entertainment.  
"Edward, this is Headmaster Dumbledore of the school at which you'll teach. Dumbledore, this is Edward Elric the Fullmetal Alchemist, and your new Alchemy professor." Mustang stated with a smirk.  
"You promised me an Alchemist not a child!" Yelled Dumbledore outraged still in the air. Now Mustang looked a bit pale, he had said the wrong thing.  
"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO SHORT YOU COULD LOSE HIM IN YOUR BEARD YOU GEEZER?!" Ed yelled making fists and moving to advance on said geezer before Alphonse held him back to avoid a disaster.  
"Brother please calm down no one said that!" Al pleaded with his brother and set his tabby cat on the desk, where Dumbledore caught sight of her.  
"Professor Mcgonagall what are you doing here?" The cat of course, was not the animagus so it just meowed in response. "Professor answer me or I'll have you sacked!" Again, another meow, it's worth mentioning that three out of the four(yes Hawkeye was there) Amestrians were looking at him wondering whether or not he was sane. "Fine then." A flash of blue light and a cry from Alphonse and the cat was still sitting on Mustangs desk. A clap and another flash of blue light and Ed’s automail arm was near Dumbledore’s face.  
“ What did you do to my brothers cat you old man?!” It would not do Edward justice to say he was angry, he was enraged. In his point of view the man had just attempted animal transmutation, something he had no liking for, and by the sound of it, he had made a chimera who he call ‘Professor Mcgonagall’ was this the man he had to work for?  
“Fullmetal, calm down, the cat is fine. Isn’t that right Alphonse?” asked Mustang  
“Yeah, calm down brother, she’s fine. Stop threatening the old man.” Al said this because he was pretty sure that if he didn’t, the old man would end up dead.  
“But he just-!” Edward was shocked that Mustang didn’t seem to care about what could have happened to the cat.  
“In the wizarding world, there are select few that posses the ability to transform into animals out of their will and magic, it is a complicated process but perfectly acceptable to society and no wizard or animal has ever been harmed during the process.” Mustang quite obviously was extremely smug having more knowledge than Edward. “ And to answer your previous question Albus, Edward Elric is the Fullmetal Alchemist as you must have overheard, he is not only the youngest alchemist, but the most skilled that we have to offer, as well as the only one free at the moment. If you would prefer another, please return in three years.” His tone said all, he would not budge to any demands and as king why should he?  
“Very well” said Dumbledore looking a bit offended and defeated. “ May I be let down please?”  
Edward hesitated before receiving a nod from Mustang and clapping to let Dumbledore down on the floor where he straightened up regained some dignity .   
“ Well then Mr. Elric, shall we?” He said holding out his arm which Edward gingerly took with one arm and held his suitcase in another. With one last look at Mustang and a pop, they disappeared from the office.


	3. Chapter 3

When Ed opened his eyes again, his stomach was trying to force breakfast back up and a bunch of kids in black cloaks were staring at him from four tables over which hung banners with a badge,raven,lion and snake. He wondered what each each but guessed they were how the school was grouped, you chose where you wanted to be and stayed there, or maybe they were assigned. Distracted by his wanderings, he only heard the end of Dumbledore’s speech.  
“We have a new subject as well a new teacher this year, please welcome professor Edward Elric who will be teaching Alchemy!” There were a few whispers and golf claps at his words, a popular one being ‘why is the professor so young?’. Edward got a bit ticked off when he heard that but let it go, he was also a bit creeped out when he saw half of the girls staring at him.  
“The class will only be offered to 5th years and above as it is extremely complex magic-”  
“EXCUSE YOU OLD MAN BUT ALCHEMY IS A SCIENCE ALRIGHT? NOT SOME HOCUS POCUS!” Silence rang throughout the hall as everyone took in the yelling and others wondered what this ‘science’ was. Albus took a deep breath before replying.  
“Well then I apologize my good man, as you clearly know more on the subject than I do” It sounded condescending and by the twitters the children obviously thought so knowing of the Headmaster’s involvement in the creation of the philosophers stone. But the Golden Trio, heard resentment that he had not shown before, not even when introducing Umbridge. So naturally, they assumed that he too was from the ministry. On the other side of the Hall, a certain Slytherin took the resentment as jealousy, perhaps the new guy did know more than the Headmaster. Who really knew? She certainly didn’t. What she did know was that this year would be interesting to say the least.  
**********************************************************************************  
After being shown to his room and choosing the passcode, Equivalent Exchange, Ed lay on his bed and thought about what had happened that day. He had been introduced to magic, been stared at by kids his age and younger, and snarked at by an old man. Was he glad to be able to rest and not have to deal with anymore of this craziness.  
“Magic” He huffed as he lay in bed, “Who needs it? I certainly don’t.” It upset him. The way everyone acted nonchalant about what was around them. Absolutely no regard to the rules of Equivalent Exchange. There was no sense in anything they did. It made his head spin. Worst of all however, was that Al was not with him. The brothers were rarely separated, ever since that night. Of course as elder, Edward had comforted Al and told him that he would write and that he had Winry and Granny so it wouldn’t be all that bad. Al was calmed down after that, but who would comfort Ed? He had no one at this strange place, nor did he want anyone if they all thought Alchemy was magic. Such foolish wizards.  
”Alchemy is a science.” He whispered to himself before drifting into uneasy sleep.  
\-----------------------*linebreak*----------------  
“So what do you think of the new professors?” asked Harry to his two best friends after the feast in the common rooms.  
“The Alchemy one is a nutter for sure. I mean, what even is science and obviously its magic or else it wouldn’t be taught here. Plus he’s probably from the ministry what with how Dumbledore introduced him.” responded Ron.   
“Ron, science is a muggle thing, like physics and chemistry and other things.” Hermione said “Besides, he’s too young to be in the ministry, he looks like he barely got out of school, have either of you seen him here before?” After two negative replies, she continued,”Then he probably graduated from Durmstrang, did you hear his slight accent?”  
“You mean when he was screaming at Dumbledore? I think everyone heard it” Ron scoffed.  
“Well, we’ll get to hear his accent tomorrow, remember Alchemy is for 5th years and above.” Reminded Harry.  
“You’re right Harry, I need to wake up early tomorrow to go to the library and learn as much as I can about Alchemy. Good night.” and with that she climbed the stairs to the girls dormitory leaving them to ponder about the newest teacher before going to bed themselves.  
\--------------Line Break--------------  
The next morning found Jade sitting next to Marcy for a bit at the Ravenclaw table.   
“So over the summer I watched a brilliant movie called ‘The Lion King’ you have to see it sometime!” Jade exclaimed, ever the morning person.   
“What was it about?” yawned Marcy not quite awake yet while munching on some toast.  
“Well there were lions-”  
“Really?” Marcy asked dripping the two syllables in sarcasm.  
“Yes really” replied Jade just as sarcastic, “ And after a cub is born to the king, his uncle gets jealous and tries to kill them both and it’s really sad with great music.”  
“You do realize that happens all the time in the wild right?” Marcy wasn’t exactly impressed.by her friends antics. "No one gives a damn until they start talking."  
"Fine then," huffed Jade, "Be like that. What do we have first by the way?"  
"I have herbology with hufflepuffs, we're in different houses remember? Go ask Jeremy."  
"Ok, see you at lunch."  
And so, Jade found Jeremy and found out that they had Alchemy first with the Gryffindors.  
"Don't you care that this class has Gryffindors?" Asked Jeremy.  
"I couldn't care less. Not my problem, I avoid them, they avoid me, in the grand scheme of things what does it matter?" Jade had repeated this sentiment constantly about other houses but it never seemed to stick with her house mates. She just never seemed to give a damn.


	4. Chapter 4

Edward woke up the next morning disoriented and confused. He was somewhere with a four poster bed. Oh right, Hogwarts, magic, no Al.  
"Master Elric sir." Edward gave a yelp then flew from his bed into a fighting stance. "Master Elric, Dauble was sent to wake you up sir." The strange creature that wore only a ragged pillowcase had its head bowed and looked for all the world as if he expected to be scolded.  
"Yes thank you...Dauble. Um, if you don't mind my asking, what are you?" Edward had recovered from his shock and said this as he was getting dressed, he had slept in his clothes the previous night so all that he had to do was put on his gloves and boots and do his usual braid.  
"Dauble is a house elf sir. Sir, if Dauble can be bold, does not sir have a class to teach?" Edward froze while tying his braid.  
"You're right!" He knelt down and grabbed the elf " Dauble, do you know where it is?!"  
"Certainly sir" Dauble nodded and with a crack they were outside a classroom and Edward's stomach had yet to catch up.  
"Thank you" He said trying to get over the teleportation.  
"It's Dauble's pleasure sir" and with another crack, away he went.  
Edward entered the room and found a box of chalk. He knew right away from his debriefing that his classes composed of about 20 children and that pitiful amount of chalk would not last. So doing what he did best, he transmuted the limestone in the wall into more chalk and left a thin covering so that it became a hidden compartment. Not too long after this was done did a stream of students in red or green robes flooded the room. Green on one side, red on the other.  
"Alright then, am I correct in saying this is" he checked the paper" Gryffindor and Slytherin 5th years?" After a chorus of yes's he got down to business. "Who here, can tell me, what alchemy is." A girl in red robes with brown fuzzy hair raised her hand. A blond boy in green mimicked her jumping up and down. Edward obviously, didn't quite approve. " Would you care to tell me blond boy in green?" The boy blushed.  
"No sir"  
"Then why did you raise your hand?" Edward enjoyed playing the interrogator, it was such fun seeing his victims squirm. The blond boy obviously did not answer. " Very well then, make sure that's the last time you do it. You, in the red?"  
"Alchemy is an ancient magic which lets the user turn lead to gold or create a philosophers stone." She seemed quite proud in her knowledge, pity it would be torn to shreds soon.  
"Your name?" he asked, he would draw it out, it would suit the witch to be knocked down a bit, she knew nothing except what she read.  
"Hermione Granger sir." She looked pleased as if he should be impressed. He really wasn't.  
"Well Miss. Granger, I see you have done your research. But I am afraid you are wrong. Absolutely wrong." She looked horrified as if such a thing had never happened in her life.  
"Take out something to write with and something to write on every one." After a scramble for parchment, quills, and ink, he continued." Alchemy, is a science. It can indeed turn lead to gold but that is illegal and you will not be learning or using it" A red haired boy raised his hand.  
"Why is it illegal professor? And what about the Philosophers stone?"  
"It is illegal because you would wreck the economy if you were to do so. As for the Philosophers stone, never mention it again, it is the work of a devil, indeed, it takes a devil to make one." At this the Golden trio looked at each other in confusion, hadn't Dumbledore had a philosophers stone? Dumbledore wasn't bad.  
"But sir! The Philosophers stone was here our first year!" This came from Dean who had always been quite bold.  
"What do you mean?" Were wizards really that foolish? Would they have actually made a Philosophers Stone?  
"Sir, Dumbledore had it here our first year to protect it! He destroyed it but it was still here!"  
"That fool." He muttered to himself. "It's impossible to destroy a philosophers stone! It is a pure substance! Have any of you any proof that it was actually destroyed?" He roared. Silence reigned for a bit then Edward sighed. "Never mind, that is not what we are here for." Straightening up he said" I don't expect any of you to advance in alchemy much. With the time limit we have I will only teach you basic Alchemy even if we had more time I doubt any of you could do it. And that is only if you can handle the theory. To know whether or not you can handle it I will be giving a pre-test." At the chorus of groans and panicked whispers he said "This has nothing to do with what you read so no one has an advantage, and anyways all of your material was incorrect, I checked it yesterday. If you pass, you take the class, you fail, you are banned from Alchemy."That got a mixed reaction. Some were scared, others surprised, a few determined, most notably a dark haired slytherin and Hermione. The Slytherin had sat up when before she had a relaxed look.  
"The pre-test is this: All is One, One is All. Solve the riddle and you will advance, fail to do so, and you will be kicked out. You have one month not counting this class period to figure it out. For the remaining 10 minutes I will answer any questions you ask as long as I deem them appropriate for school." Instantly a forest of hand went up. "You there" he pointed to a boy with messy hair and glasses.  
"Why do you say that it wouldn't matter how much time, that we wouldn't be too great at Alchemy?"  
"Simple, the only reason I know the amount I know at my age is because I started young and am a genius. Most adults only know half as much as I." At his words whispers insured, especially at the genius part. Most were staring pointedly at Hermione although the Alchemist had no idea hand was still up though, so he called on her.  
"Sir when you say genius, what do you mean exactly?"  
"I mean I started reading Alchemy books at the age of 4 and have certification that lists me as a fully educated Alchemist which I achieved at 12 years of age." Everyone started gossiping and once he saw that he lost their attention he went to his desk to plan the next lessons for the ones that solved the riddle. He would be surprised if anyone got it. These wizards would need a lot of work. After 6 more minutes he stood up.  
"Alright class is over, dismissed." The children all flooded out except for that one dark haired Slytherin.  
"Professor, I think I know the answer to the riddle, can I ask? And if I get it wrong can I try again?" He knew of course that she wouldn't get it right.  
"Go ahead" he said leaning back on his chair. "Tell me what you think it is." She took a deep breath.  
"The circle of life?" She held her hands in a unsure pose.  
"Holy-" Ed fell of his chair."What class do you have now?"  
"Lunch."  
"You're skipping it, come with me." He led her into his office and gave her some tea and cookies." How did you figure it out, not even I figured it out that fast"  
"Well, over the summer, I watched a movie called 'The Lion King' and the main theme was that we were all part of the grand circle of life and we all had a place in it, so one would be me or anything really and all would be the universe."  
"So you had help?" He wasn't quite as blown over now.  
"Well yeah but-" she looked a bit unsure.  
"No it's fine, you still figured it out and were honest about how so points for that. You are now cleared for continuation in Alchemy, congratulations. What's your name?"  
"Jade Myers sir."  
"Very well then , hurry on to lunch and don't tell anyone the answer ok?"  
"I won't!" and so with a smile on her face, Jade made her way to the Great Hall. And Edward though, maybe not all wizards were idiots.


	5. Chapter 5

Harry, Ron and Hermione sat together at lunch.  
"So what did you think of the professor Hermione? Was he up to scratch?" joked Harry, it was quite clear to him and Ron that the new teacher did leave a lasting impression on their friend, but not a favorable one.  
"I think he's an arrogant teenager and I can't see why on earth Dumbledore would even consider hiring him. He acts so important but I bet he doesn't have half the experience in a real fight as Harry!" The young witch was quite clearly bristling with anger and indignation.  
"Yeah, well I don't reckon you-know-who is after him either" Ron fit through a mouthful of pie.  
"Just say Voldemort Ron." sighed Harry, succeeding in making his best friend choke on his shepherd's pie. Or, that's what he thought. What Ron said next made him choke.  
"Look mate, a Slytherin!" and indeed, a Slytherin was walking in their direction and they weren't the only ones to notice. All along the tables, a lot of people were looking at the Slytherin who was walking in late and towards their table. She sat down at the far end near Neville Longbottom and started eating. A hush had fallen over the room watching her. Her mouth moved as if she had said something and poor Neville's face turned white at the thought of her addressing him. She repeated what she said starting to look mildly annoyed and the trio debated confronting her.  
"I said, could you pass the salt please?" Her voice rang clear through the hall having raised from a murmur to a stage volume. A second year seated nearby gave the salt and looked as though he were facing a dragon whilst he handed it to her. "Thank you." She looked more confused though when she noticed he had on red robes. She finally lifted her head and looked around. She seemed to have realized that she was at the Gryffindor table, not Slytherin. Everyone expected her to scream, shout, run to Slytherin, or insult the Gryffindors. What they didn't expect was for her to start laughing, hysterically. First she chuckled , then she wheezed falling off the bench , then she roared while clutching her stomach and rolling on the floor crying with her face red and looking like someone had told her the funniest joke ever. Professor Mcgonagall Looked to Snape as if to say 'Well she's yours isn't she?' to which Snape glared in return. Umbridge glared at the Slytherin while smiling sweetly which just caused the laughter of the girl to intensify. The other professors looked at each other as if to say not it' because they were quite sure the girl had lost her mind. Dumbledore was about to get up and try his luck when the doors opened once again and in stepped the Alchemy professor. He took a look around and his eyes settled on the laughing girl who had renewed her laughing at the sight of him.  
"Am I in the right room?" He asked looking unsettled. "Is this normal? Is there supposed to be a student laughing and crying?"  
"My dear professor if we could get her to stop we would." replied Dumbledore as if they had tried, really he just didn't want to deal with the possibly insane girl. "Perhaps you would like to try your luck?"  
Ed wondered how wizards had survived if they couldn't even get a student to stop laughing. He figured he might as well try to see if it really was as impossible as they made it sound so he walked up to her. He recognized her as the one who had guessed the riddle and thought about how different she looked now laughing and moaning about how her stomach hurt and that by the time she stopped she should have a six-pack.  
"Hey." All it took was that one word. She sprang up, cleared her throat, straightened up her clothing, and looking for all the world as if laughter was something she had never experienced had her red face and teary eyes not betrayed her.  
"Hello Professor." She sat back down and continued to eat as though nothing had happened. The other professors and students looked at him in amazement, he had managed to calm a student who was possibly insane, they weren't crossing it out yet, with just one word. He stood behind her for a second before grabbing a roll off the table and walking out. The minute he left, she resumed her cackling though not as forceful as before, just a few chuckles here and there. It left the trio wondering, why did she only stop when the new professor addressed her?


	6. Chapter 6

Ed walked out of the great hall and prepared for his next classes, they were all the same except, no one else got the riddle.  
Line Break  
The Golden Trio were now suspicious of both the Alchemy professor and the Slytherin student. Were they connected somehow? He did seem to have some control over her, but how?  
"This is pointless we'll just go around in circles like this, lets make a list" Hermione said, so they made a list.  
Suspicious Behavior  
-Coming late to Lunch  
-Hysterical Laughing  
-Complete mood change  
-Almost complete control over her  
It was a bit short, but was enough to have them suspicious.  
"Y'know if he really is a genius, it wouldn't be hard to learn wandless magic and use an imperious on her" thought Ron.  
"But that's illegal!" exclaimed Hermione.  
"Didn't stop Moody last year" remarked Harry  
"Yes but he was an imposter." said Hermione " And she didn't look like she was struggling or anything to indicate that she was put under a spell, plus she kept laughing after he left"  
"Some people go mad under it, maybe she did" shrugged Ron.  
"Well, how about that riddle?" asked Hermione obviously uncomfortable.  
"I wouldn't mind a free period to be honest." said Harry leaning back.  
"Me either, mate" Said Ron.  
"But it could be useful later on! What if we have an O.W.L on it and fail all because we couldn't solve the riddle?" fretted Hermione.  
"Well what do you think it means?" asked Ron clearly meaning to stump her.  
"I don't know!" she said throwing her hands up. Ron succeeded. " But have you two even thought about it?" they looked at each other and shrugged.  
"No." They said looking at her.  
"Do you just expect me to tell you?" she was steadily getting frustrated. The boys had the decency to look guilty " you two are so-ugh" and she stomped upstairs to the girls dormitory. The two boys shared a look.  
"So... what do you make of it?" asked Ron.  
"The professor and student or riddle?" responded Harry having ideas on only one.  
"Both" said Ron after some hesitation.  
"Well I think that they maybe know each other somehow or he made a lasting impression on her. She could just respect him or maybe she's terrified of him. As for the riddle, I honestly have no clue."  
"That actually makes more sense than the imperious curse one. And I have to agree with you on the riddle frontier, I have no idea."  
"Can you ask your mum? I could ask Sirius."  
"Yeah good idea, we can do it tomorrow though because I'm really tired."  
"Sure" and so, they too went off to bed.  
LINE  
The next day in Alchemy the professor stood at the front.  
"So far, only one of you has solved the riddle. I won't tell you who it is or you'll most likely try to get the answer from them. It wouldn't matter anyways because the person has been sworn to secrecy. You have to rest of the month and this class period to figure it out. Begin." Ed swept back behind his desk doing paper work and the class exploded into chatter.  
"Oh, and one other thing" He said without lifting his head near the end of class,"From here on out, you can't help each other, and I'll know if you do so don't think of doing it behind my back" Then the bell rung. "Dismissed!" and with that he stalked into his office and the door slammed behind him.


	7. Chapter 7

He quite frankly had refused to eat that first day until Dauble had tracked him down and shown him the kitchens and that the food was made, not just magicked into existence. Ed had in turn eaten the components of about a whole feast in the kitchen which the elves had happily supplied.  
"So what do you guys do here?" Ed had asked after he had finished his food.  
"We serve the masters and mistresses here at Hogwarts sir." Dauble replied with a bit of pride.  
"Anything else?" asked Ed with a bit of trepidation " Don't you have a home or a place to go for vacations? A family to visit?" At the elves confused shake of head Edward grew a bit angry. "But don't you want that? How about clothes?" At the word 'clothes' almost all of the elves let out squeaks of terror, except for one who stepped forward with Dauble.  
"No sir, House Elves are not wanting to have clothes, clothes is a mark of a freed elf."He said with a bowed head. His little frame held 2 hats, a few socks, and an itty-bitty sweater.  
"Then why are you wearing them? And isn't freedom good?" Now Ed truly was confused, why would these house elves not want freedom? He was determined to know why and to show this, sat cross-legged in front of the two elves in a show of stubbornness.  
"Well sir, Dobby is a free elf he is and he is choosing to work here. Master Dumbledore sir is paying Dobby."  
"For shame demanding such things of Master Dumbledore" Dauble scolded. Ed hadn't noticed but all of the elves sort of cringed away from Dobby as if they were ashamed of him.  
"Why is it a shame?" Seeing the shocked and slightly angered looks on the elves, Edward feigned ignorance. "I'm new to the wizarding world so I don't know anything so if you would please tell me?" Thankfully, he got the desired results and Dauble was noticeably less upset.  
"To be set free is a house elf's greatest fear sir. It means he has not done his job well, if his master gives him clothes the elf is freed with shame, it is dishonor." Now Ed understood, it was tabooed more or less that they disappoint their masters. He saw the logic, to a point.  
"What if your masters are mean to you?"  
"Masters are only mean if house elf is bad. Master Dumbledore is not mean, he is a kind man. He even pays Dobby and gives him breaks, Dobby is very thankful to Mister Dumbledore." Seeing that the only response would be that, Edward had excused himself with the promise of coming back soon and, having gained directions for the Great Hall, walked there to ask his fellow teachers about house elves, and for directions to the nearest library. That was his plan, but of course it had to go awry. When he had entered, he saw a girl laughing madly on the floor while everyone watched in confusion.  
"Am I in the right room?" He asked looking unsettled. "Is this normal? Is there supposed to be a student laughing and crying?" Everyone now turned to look at him.  
"My dear professor if we could get her to stop we would." replied Dumbledore "Perhaps you would like to try your luck?"  
Obviously, Edward would not like to try his luck, he wanted to go to a library and read as much as he possibly could, his room had been stuffed with books on alchemy, but there was nothing legit in there and he didn't want to read what he already knew. He wanted to make sure he knew what was going on around him so he didn't look like such an idiot the whole time he was here. He knew it was a test so he gritted his teeth and walked towards the girl. It was the one who had guessed the riddle. He saw no reason for her to laugh and hoped he could stop it while keeping his pride and dignity.  
"Hey" He was trying to get her to stop somehow, but he didn't really know how. Abruptly, she stopped laughing and straightened up. He wondered why until he saw her eyes, they reminded him of Mustang's Squad when they looked at him, full of respect. He swore internally, he didn't need anymore attention than he already probably had. She could be a useful informant later on, but right now, he would rather be in the background until he was ordered to do anything by Mustang. He still had a briefing packet to read, he would probably do that now because he hadn't had a chance to do so before. He was brought back to earth when he noticed the girl was sitting calmly, he grabbed a roll off the table and walked out of the hall, determined to find the library and put off the packet for tonight.


	8. Chapter 8

Ed walked down to where he read on his map the kitchens were,(In the end he had just asked a random house elf for a map when he saw him is a hallway while he was looking for the library) , and walked to his room while everyone else was at dinner. He sat his food on the coffee table, reclined on the couch and pulled out Mustangs letter.  
Fullmetal,  
Your assignment is to ensure that for the coming year, Harry Potter, 'The-Boy-Who-Lived' is not to be harmed, killed, or captured by the opposing side of this 'Wizarding World'. Use Alchemy or whatever but just make sure he doesn't die. Also make sure you don't die. The amount of paperwork for a dead subordinate is unbelievable and Hawkeye will have my head if I get anymore behind. Don't do anything stupid, obviously, we could crush the wizards but I'd rather not have another war. Also, see if you can get away October 10th, your Alchemy Assessment is then and I'd rather not have you miss it or make me go all the way to Scotland for you.  
Fuhrer Roy Mustang  
The rest of the packet were basically guidelines on how to act as a representative of the military. Don't kill anyone, offend a potential ally, or do anything that would piss anyone off unnecessarily. Pity really, he wanted to see who he could make tick, and how. It was always good to know what made your enemies, or potential enemies in this case, tick. Oh well, unnecessarily was always up to interpretation wasn't it? He would have fun with everyone, especially the students. For now though, using his unlimited power as teacher,and his newly gifted map, he went to the library to finish reading all of the books the library had to offer.


	9. Chapter 9

The next day Edward awoke bright and early and using his map, went to the great hall for his first meal there. Thankfully, there were no hysterical students this time so he was able to attempt to eat in peace this time. He sat next to an old lady who looked extremely stern, yet kind. A bit like Izumi....  
"Excuse me? Is there anything I can assist you with?" He hadn't noticed, but he had been staring at her for about ten minutes now.Wonderful.  
"It's nothing, you just look like someone I know." It wasn't a complete lie but, it was a sort of lie.  
"Oh who is she?" Clearly the lady was just making polite conversation, not trying to interrogate him, so he felt a bit at ease.  
"Just a housewife" he said with a smile before excusing himself from the table and going to get ready for his class.  
LineBreak...................................................  
Harry was just calmly eating his toast when he was jabbed in the side by Ron.  
"Look, Elric is talking to Mcgonagall!" And indeed he was. He was leaving now though, probably to get to his first class in time . Not them though, they would have him after lunch. It was only a single period this time, so it probably wouldn't be as hectic as the first day. Recalling the class, Harry remembered something.  
"Hey guys," By this time, Hermione had joined them."Do you remember how angry he got when we mentioned the philosophers stone? Sort of like, he had experience with it."  
"Yeah, it was strange, but he was probably just faking it Harry, what could he possibly know about the Philosophers Stone?" Hermione scoffed.  
"Well he called it the 'devils research' didn't he? Wonder why." Ron mused as he saw the time, "Blimey guys, we've got to go or we'll be late to class."  
And so off they went.  
****************************************************************************************  
Edward, now had a 7th year Gryffindor and Hufflepuff class. He had noticed that for some reason, when he walked in, everyone kept looking at two red-headed boys. They looked like they could've been the younger boy from yesterdays brothers. Comparing his roosters, he realized they were. Splendid.  
"Alright, welcome to your first Alchemy class can anyone tell me what they think or know Alchemy is?" Same question, same routine.  
"It's used to make gold" said one of the redheads dramatically out of turn, who looking at the uniform was hufflepuff, but looking at the rooster... was gryffindor...  
"Yes it is, but as I have told every class so far, you will not be taught how to do that and even if you could it's illegal and would mess up the economy. By the way, house and name?"  
"Fred Weasley, Hufflepuff" The people looking at the boys increased tipping Ed off.  
"Really? But I have you listed as Gryffindor on my list."  
"Mistakes can be made professor." Fred said nodding his head looking very solemn. Two kids were having silent laughter fits in the back.  
"Yes they can Mr. Weasley, but in this case, I would think not." Ed smirked, the kid screamed pranks, mischief, and his twin looked exactly alike to him, not just in appearance. The muffled laughter and the kid's interest also proved that this was not something that happened everyday. "Five points to gryffindor and two from it."  
"What why?" Asked the other one, George, he obviously knew why.  
"You know why, for trying to trick the new teacher. Now if you have any sense, you'll stop trying." The boys gave him a sulkyish look before sitting back resigned.  
"Now, in order to be able to take this class, you will have a pre-test and no, you can't study nor can you help each other. Solve this riddle, All is One and One is All" he wrote it on the board. "Solve it and you take this class, fail it and you are banned from it, am I clear?" After hearing an assortment of yeses and murmured he said, "Until the end of the period you can ask any question you like of me and if school appropriate, I will answer."  
"How old are you?"  
"20"  
"Why are you teaching here?"  
"Reasons"  
"What reasons?"  
"Grown-up reasons"  
"Why are your eyes gold?"  
"Genetics"  
"Why do you wear gloves?"  
"It's cool"  
"Why aren't you wearing robes?"  
"They're tacky"  
"Are you really better at alchemy than Dumbledore?"  
"I-" The bell rang just then cutting Ed off. "Class dismissed!" The students filed out muttering about their next class and how much they wanted to eat lunch and go to sleep. Ed went to his office to write a letter to Mustang and Al asking how things were and how much about Alchemy the wizards knew. He would find a way to mail it to them somehow. He also wanted to talk with Dumbledore and learn more about what was going on.


	10. Chapter 10

Dumbledore sat in his office along with Severus Snape and Minerva Mcgonagall.  
"How is our newest staff addition adapting?"  
"He doesn't really talk to anyone so we wouldn't know. We never see him aside from the occasional walks in the halls." Severus replied in a low monotone.  
"Well, he talked to me once. Of course, he stared at me for a while first, but he talked." Minerva said with a slightly confused look.  
"What did he say?" Albus was extremely curious as to what the young Alchemist would say.  
"He said I looked like someone he knew, a housewife."  
"A house wife? Isn't that an insult? House wives don't do anything important. "  
"I think he meant a housewife like Molly Weasley, fierce. " Dumbledore was puzzled but of course he wouldn't show it. "I shall continue to think upon the mystery of Edward Elric, I have asked his superior to send me background information that should arrive later today, hopefully it will shed new light on the young alchemist."  
line break_____________-------------____________  
Later that same evening, Dumbledore sat in his office reading a letter from Furhur Mustang.  
To: Albus Dumbledore  
The subordinate Edward Elric, The Fullmetal Alchemist, has a past that is very personal to him. For full details or further research I recommend you ask him. And if you get anything out of him, you have succeeded where many others have failed. What I impart to you is simply basic information.  
Name: Edward Elric  
Second Name: The Fullmetal Alchemist  
Birthday: February 3rd  
Age: 20  
As I said, basic information. Anything else must be given from the source. If my subordinate causes any deaths or major injuries please feel free to Owl. Also, I shall visit the school Oct. 5 in order to perform his State Alchemist Exam. I shall require an open area for his physical examination which includes a fight. Please ensure that no student or staff wanders onto said area to prevent any painful deaths or injuries.  
Signed,  
Roy Mustang  
Furhur.  
On the other side of the castle, Edward Elric also sat with a letter from the Fuhrer.  
To: Edward Elric  
The headmaster of your school has asked me for information on you.  
That bas-!  
Relax, I simply told him the basics  
Good.  
He will want more information, so be sure that you are on your guard near him if you do not wish to divulge your past completely. Wizards have a potion that is odorless, tasteless, and colourless. It is called Vertisium and causes the drinker to only speak truth so do not eat or drink anything in his presence or in the presence of anyone even remotely suspicious.  
On an unrelated note, I shall come to the school Oct. 5 to perform your State Alchemist Exam. No faculty member or student should interrupt us, so ensure before hand that the students do not know or they will surely want to see. Dumbledore shall give us both an area and time to fight as well as announce to the students that they are not to leave the building during that time. For further questions, please write a letter and send it via an owl.  
Signed,  
Roy Mustang, Furher  
Edward thought for a bit about this new information before saying out loud, “ Where the hell am I supposed to get an owl?”


	11. Chapter 11

It was not until the second week, that someone else guessed the riddle. Ed was walking out of his office to find a nervous looking boy at his door poised to knock.   
"Good morning. What can I do for you?" Ed was so very thankful that he had the sense to put on his gloves before going out and invited the boy in.  
"W-well, I-I" The boy took a big breath steeling his nerves, "I think I figured out your riddle and want confirmation" The boy's eyes were set and determine reminding Ed a bit of Al. But only a bit.  
"Really? And what do you think it is?" He slightly hoped the kid had it. If only for the fact that he looked so determined.  
"I am one and the world is all." He looked so defiant. He also looked on the verge of a nervous breakdown.  
"So tell me how you figured it out." He more than likely did not see a lion movie.  
"I uhm I don't want to tell you that."  
"Why not?"  
"It's personal."  
"If you won't tell me how can I make sure you didn't cheat? I'm afraid you are unable to take Alchemy."   
"Oh, okay then, good day." The poor boy looked so defeated as he stood to leave.  
"What's your name and house?"  
"Neville Longbottom, Gryffindor sir."  
"Well Mr. Longbottom, you have been cleared to continue Alchemy. Please do not tell the answer of the riddle to anyone." Ed smirked at the surprised look on the boy's name.  
"What?! But you said I couldn't-!"   
"I said I couldn't be sure if you cheated or not. You just proved to me that you didn't."  
"How?" Poor Neville racked his brain to remember if he had done anything special in the past 5 minutes.  
"You didn't try to argue or looked angry. You just kind of accepted it. If you had cheated you might've made up a story or argued, but you didn't. So you quite obviously don't want to tell me what happened and are willing to give up your goal for it. I respect that." Now he leaned forward, "If someone is bothering you in a bad way, tell me and I will try to help in anyway I can. If you need any kind of help mental, emotional, or physical, I give my word that I will try to help." Ed now stood up, walked past the surprised boy and opened the door. "I believe you should hurry to breakfast now, you only have 30 minutes." He said with a smile checking his pocket watch.  
Neville stood up still processing the professor's words. "Yes." He turned as he walked out of the room as if he wanted to say something. "Thank you sir, I'll keep that in mind." Then he walked to the Great Hall as silently and lonely as always.


	12. Chapter 12

Harry James Potter was not normally nosy, ok he was, but he would never admit it out loud, but when upon waking up and discovering one of his roommates missing, he was naturally curious.   
“Have either of you seen Neville?” he asked of his two friends when they got down to breakfast.  
“No, I thought he was already here.” said Ron a bit surprised, either Neville was late or extremely early to everything, there was no inbetween.   
“Speak of the devil and he shall appear.” This comment was from Hermione and both boys puzzled over it before lo and behold, the subject of their conversation walked toward them.   
“Hey guys, how’re you?” He seemed ok but they wanted to know where he was.  
“We’re fine, but are you?” The question sounded innocently enough and was the right thing to say. Yet they said it with all the wrong reasons.  
“Fine, just fine.” He looked slightly resentful as he said this but they each figured it was just their imagination as one second later, he was back to his cheery self.  
“So Neville, what do you think of the new Alchemy Professor?” Trying to keep the conversation up and noticing that said professor was not present Ron took this chance to find out what Neville thought.  
“Uhm uh well” Neville wanted to say what he thought,that Professor Elric seemed nice enough once you got to know him, but didn’t want the trio to know where he had been because that would lead to questions he didn’t and couldn’t answer. Thankfully he was saved.  
“Hey kid” He took it back, that strange Slytherin was talking to him, he would take questions over this any day. “Not sure if you remember but I sat near you the other day” Here it came, his punishment. “Sorry for disturbing you, start over?” She extended her hand and he thought for a second that she would slap him, she didn’t. She was waiting for him to shake. She was waiting for him to shake with a lopsided smile. He had not shaken hands with anyone in a while, not since, well he couldn’t remember when but he did remember something his Gran had said to him repeatedly ’A good handshake is firm but not tight, 3 pumps is the standard, always use your right hand, and if the person is standing while you’re sitting, get up’. As instructed, he did just that returning the smile because Gran always said ‘If you don’t know them but dislike them smile, it’s polite. If you know them and hate them, don’t smile, they don’t deserve it’.  
“Jade Myers”  
“Neville Longbottom”  
“Now that we’re all chums, please leave, Slytherins aren’t welcome here.” Ron said this and just like that she adopted the custom Slytherin haughty look.  
“Yes of course.” Turning back to him her face relaxed into the same lopsided smile. “See ya.” And she walked out of the hall. After a couple of minutes of awkward silence, the quartet followed.  
“You didn’t have to chase her away” said Neville as they left the hall, hoping that this topic would last until they got to class.  
“She was clearly trying to trick you Neville”  
“All Slytherins are bad news”  
“You can’t trust them”  
“I-” What Neville was going to say in response to these accusations from the trio, the world would never know. For at that exact moment he was pinned to the wall with a hand over his mouth by said trio. He struggled fiercely for about a minute.  
“Shh, Neville, we’re gonna eavesdrop on the Slytherin and the guy with her.” Neville renewed his struggle briefly before deciding that he wouldn’t get far before the three could overpower him and he was already dragged into the mess so why not. Maybe this would convince the trio (and him) that... what was her name?... Jade, wasn’t all bad.  
“-And I’m telling you, I don’t care.” Jade had her hands on her hips.  
“Well you should, they’re Gryffindors. They’ll turn their backs on you as soon as they find it to be convenient” This came from a blond boy taller than her by half a head.   
“Then let them, I seek not friendships, rather courtesy. If that be too complicated for you to understand then please, depart from my presence.”  
“Why are you mad I’m warning you so that you don’t get hurt!” His exasperation was exceedingly clear.  
“Yet you do not seem to understand that I need not your protection and how do you propose that I am mad?” Her temper was clearly rising that much was certain.   
“You started speaking old fashioned” he deadpanned, clearly done with everything.  
“Oh I did?” Anger turned to curiosity “Did I use it correctly?”  
“No you messed up once or twice” His smirk gave the quartet no clue as to whether he was joking or not because not any of them, including Hermione, had even a clue as to how to speak old fashioned.  
“Damn, she’ll have my head for that, don’t you dare tell her or I’ll have yours. C’mon then, let’s get to class”  
And after a few seconds they ran to Alchemy fearing lateness.


	13. Chapter 13

“Well then, it is now the second week and only two of your class have guessed the riddle. At this rate I will need to extend the deadline if I don’t want to only teach four students. Actually, that’s not a bad idea...” He trailed into silence for a bit. “In any case, work on any work you need done during this class or quietly converse among yourselves. As always, no helping each other on the riddle.”  
The class exploded into chatter, everyone wondering who had solved it. Most bets were on Hermione and Harry simply because one was undisputedly intelligent and the other was the Boy-Who-Lived. If they couldn’t get it, no one else could ever possibly hope to get it. Apparently, someone did, two someones did and everyone wondered who they were.   
Ed sat at the front chuckling to himself because not one guess was even remotely close to the truth. He firstly wondered why no one thought a Slytherin capable of solving the riddle and then wondered why out of all the Gryffindors, Neville’s name was, not once, mentioned. And this, worried him.  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
He didn't want to ask the students themselves, so he decided to ask the faculty. He knew where the break room was thanks to his map, which he had half memorized, and so decided that he would attempt to talk to Minerva Mcgonagall. Following their first conversation, they generally simply exchanged pleasantries during meals and left it at that. Today, he would actually try to converse during their shared free period.  
"Hey um, Minerva?" She had told him to call her that the second time they spoke. "You know that boy in your house? Neville Longbottom?"  
"Oh what has that child done now?" She looked so exasperated as she set down her cup of tea that he wondered if they were really talking about the same kid.  
"Nothing, but I gave the class a hard riddle to solve and he was one of the first two who solved it."  
"I'm guessing the first was Hermione Granger." She looked fond and proud so it really was a bit hard for Ed to tell her the truth, but only a bit.  
"No, actually it was a Jade Myers." For some reason this made her choke. Now he guessed he knew why the girl had looked so proud, she was probably a know-it-all.  
"Are you alright Minerva?" This came from a stout slightly messy witch on Minerva's right. She quite clearly, had not been eavesdropping or else she probably would've been choking on her tea too.  
"Yes fine thank you Pomona." She managed to get out before turning to Ed again. "You mean to tell me, you have given a riddle that neither Hermione Granger or Harry Potter have gotten but Neville, Neville Longbottom and a Slytherin have?"  
"What?!" Pomona squeaked out, more surprised than unbelieving.  
"Well, yeah. And that leads to my question" he plowed on not giving either witch time to react, "Why do people find it so hard to believe that Neville or a Slytherin solved it?" he hadn't missed how shocked they had been when they realized Jade was in Slytherin.  
"Well, our, my , reason is that Mr. Longbottom does not exactly excel much at anything to be honest and Ms.Granger is considered the smartest witch of her age." Minerva said almost sheepishly, "And Slytherins usually are disrespectful and full of the dark arts, most of their parents are former Death Eaters after all."  
"Death Eaters?" Interrupted Ed. "What group would name themselves that?" He chuckled.  
"You don't know?" Now they were both shocked  
"Death Eaters were the followers of You-Know-Who" Pomona said hurriedly  
"No actually I don't know who." Ed said in retaliation.  
"But he was the Darkest Wizard of all time! Surely you know who!"  
"He never got around to my country."  
"Where is your country?"  
"Far from here" He said thinking of the train ride.  
"What’s it called?"  
"Amestris." He wasn't sure if Mustang would approve of him telling them or not, but he trusted these old ladies and was quite sure they wouldn't use this against him.  
"I see." Clearly he wouldn't get much of a reaction for his country, was he glad. "What school did you go to?" If he said a fake school they could look it up! Better go with the truth.  
"I didn't go to school, I was self taught and then got a teacher to further my education."   
"Oh? Didn't you take O.W.Ls or N.E.W.Ts?"   
"Don't worry Minerva, I'm a competent teacher I promise." He had read the entire library over the weekend and all of last week's breaks thankfully, so he knew what she spoke about, and hoped his reassurance would stop her from asking.  
"Well, if Dumbledore sees it fit to hire you." She said with a sigh but the faint smile told him she believed him.   
"Anyways, so the what do the parents have to do with the kids?" It took the professors a second to remember the original subject of discussion.  
"Well they raise them to be rude towards muggleborns and half-bloods. Most of the children in Slytherin are purebloods" Minerva said.  
"And the rest?" Ed ward said not liking the generalization but understanding it's roots.  
"One or two are muggleborn, the others half-bloods" she admitted.  
"So kids are told by their parents to hate their parents?" He said lifting an eyebrow to show how ridiculous he found the idea to be.  
"Uhm well..." Now she was at a loss for words.  
"I think you shouldn't judge the offspring by the parents, especially if you aren't sure." With these words serving as farewell, Ed walked out of the room and to his office.


	14. Chapter 14

Hermione Granger was a smart witch. This much, could not be denied. To say she was the smartest witch of her age, was a bit extreme. Not that anyone thought so, or at least out loud.  
Now however, she encountered something not in any book. Having always found her answers in books, this took the wind out of her sails. One is All, All is One? What kind of riddle was that? She felt really bad for the rest of the class, if she couldn't get it, who could? Apparently, she found out, two others could. She wanted to scream. She was Hermione Granger! She was the smartest witch of her age! She had gotten the highest test scores! So why wasn't she the first to solve the riddle?  
"It's not fair." She said to herself wiping a few stray tears of frustration of course, away. "It's not fair."  
"What isn't fair? There are a lot of things." A new voice behind her startled her completely, but at that point, she just wanted to vent.   
"The riddle from the Alchemy professor! I've read through all these books and haven't gotten it! I'm the smartest witch of this age and two others have gotten it before me! It just isn't fair!" Finally, she turned around to look at who she was complaining to. She expected Ron or Harry, she was wrong. When she saw the green on the persons tie and robes she turned red, then she turned pale.  
"Well-" started the person.  
"What are you doing here?" Hermione cut off rather rudely.  
"I go to school here." The person, Jade, deadpanned.  
"No I mean in the library, why are you here? Are you spying on me? Great, now you'll tell You-Know-Who that Harry's friends are weak won't you?" Hermione, of course, ignored the exasperatedly amused look on the girls face.  
"And why do you propose that that should be my plan of action?" Jade quite obviously was a tad bit, if not more, annoyed. If only Hermione had realized.  
"Oh don't play dumb! You know as well as I that You-Know-Who's back and I bet your dad acts as his slave and your mum kisses his feet! They're both-" What Hermione would've called Jade's parents, would never be heard, perhaps for the better as Jade's wand was being held at her throat almost like a knife while her hand didn't really choke her, but held her neck.  
"Would you like to continue that statement?" There could be no doubt now, Jade was ready to draw blood. "Do you wish to withdraw and keep some dignity, or shall this end with the spilling of your blood?"  
"What? Afraid everyone will know the truth? That you're a spy for You-Know-Who?" Hermione somehow managed a smirk.  
"If you call that truth, then Harry indeed should beg innocence due to insanity from umbridge don't you agree?" Jade also had a smirk and it only grew at the second girl's reaction.  
"Harry is not lying!"   
"Oh really? Then-" Jade was cut off, this time by a certain Alchemist.  
"Myers, Granger, just what are you doing?"  
"Professor she-!"  
"Don't argue, both of you come with me." Letting them grab their possessions, he led them both into his office. He told them to each take a seat. "Now then, would either of you care to explain what exactly I saw in the library?"  
"I-" Jade once again was cut off by the young witch.  
"Professor she attacked me! I was doing work and she was spying on me, and then she attacked me!" Hermione all but whined certain that he would believe her and know that she spoke the truth.  
"Is that it?" Edward asked to see if she would elaborate.  
"Yes professor, that's it." She nodded.  
"Miss. Myers?" Edward asked.  
"I walked into the library and saw her about to cry. So I did the stupid thing and went to see if I could help, she started venting but as soon as she turned to see me she started saying insults. She said that I was You-Know-Who's spy, and that my dad acted as a slave for him while my mother kissed his feet. I snapped when she said that and held her against the wall at knife-er wand point with my hand against her throat. She tried to taunt me by saying that the only reason I snapped was because I didn't want others to know my 'secret'", here she made air quotation marks, "And I told her that if that was truth then, Harry was lying about You-Know-Who being back. Then she defended him saying he wasn't and I was about to say a witty retort back, but then you showed up and brought us here."  
"Is that it?" Edward asked.  
"Yes-" Hermione kept cutting her off.  
"Professor she's lying! If she weren't You-Know-Who's spy, then why would she have snapped?"  
At this point in time, Edward say clearly who was right and who was wrong. He also decided that this just wasn't worth his time. Sure he had been trying to find either Myers or Neville, but he didn't expect this. He sighed.  
"You both have detention-"   
"What why me? I was attacked! If anything I should get points for surviving!"  
"Ah yes points, 15 points from Gryffindor, 10 from Slytherin."  
"But-!"  
"The lady doth protest too much, methinks." Jade said while giving her a meaningful glance, basically saying, 'be quiet before he decides to just behead us'. Thankfully, Hermione got the message and kept quiet.  
"Now Granger, please leave, Myers and I have certain things to discuss." Edward was glad Granger had decided to be quiet, her voice had slowly grown annoying. She looked upset, but thankfully she left. "Now then Myers please wait here for a bit." Now he just had to find Neville, hopefully he would find him soon.


	15. Chapter 15

As Edward walked through the halls, he hoped that Myers wouldn't look through his stuff. Not that he would leave something incriminating out in the open, but still. He crossed the second floor corridor wondering where Neville could be when he heard it.  
"Just beg for mercy, c'mon, do it and we'll leave you alone." There was a cruel chuckle that Ed had heard too many times. "C'mon Longbottom, we both know you're not brave enough to fight. Just do it. You're not worth anything and no one would give a damn if anything were to happen to you." Hearing the name, and the taunts, the young alchemist understood. Why Neville didn't want to say how he solved the riddle. Why he looked so scared. Why no one ever was too near him. He knew the reason now, and he was disgusted. With a clap of his hands he trapped the green robed trio in between the wall and stone bars.  
"You know, some say kids will just be kids. I disagree." With the dust still covering him, he trapped the trio with more hands, walls, and bars so that it simply looked like the end of the hall. Ignoring their cries, he picked up Neville and made a mad dash for his office. Luckily it was relatively late so most students would be in their dorms by now, so no one saw them. That in itself was a blessing as Neville was scraped up and seemingly in shock. When they arrived in his office he set him down on the couch and, with strict instructions to Myers to leave him alone, set off running again. He went back, let the bullies out, and again using the dust ran away before they could see him.  
LINE BREAK%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%  
"I'm sorry." Was the first thing he heard coming back.  
"Don't be it's not your fault."  
"Doesn't mean I can't be upset that it happened."  
"Okay we have several options here" Ed said with a wide grin banging the door open. "We can discuss A) Your progress in Alchemy" here he paused for the inevitable, wait you solved it too whispers. "B) What happened to both of you C) What we're going to do about everything. First of all, you're with a teacher so don't worry about curfew. Second of all my suggestion is B then C then A." After receiving nods of agreement he continued. "Just to reassure you both, nothing said here leaves the room unless you want it to. So both of you, what happened?"  
"I told you already. Granger was crying and-"  
"No, I mean, your interactions with each other." Ed elaborated.  
"Oh." Was the first response. "Oh!" Was the second, from both of them.  
"Erm well, remember that day I was laughing hysterically?" After receiving a nod she continued, "Well I scared Neville here and so this morning I finally apologized and introduced myself , and just now I apologized for my housemates behavior."  
"Doesn't seem too complicated, do you have anything to add?" Ed turned to Neville who had a brooding look on him.  
"Uh, wmuhsyydn" Neville murmured.  
"What?" Came from both teacher and student.  
"I said, we might have spied on you."  
"Who's we?"  
"Who did you spy on?" Ed frantically thought back to the last couple of days wondering if he had done anything suspicious.  
"Jade" at least he looked sorry, "The trio and I saw you having a conversation and instead of walking away, they eavesdropped and dragged me with them. Sorry." The poor kid, he looked so ashamed   
"Well if you really were dragged, then I guess it's not your fault. It's ok."  
"They're going to be suspicious you know." He said. "The trio are going to think that you really do follow you-know-who and try to interrogate you, both of you. I know they will, I saw them make a list of suspicious activity." Normally, Neville would not be saying so much, and would not be so bold, but he trusted his new friend and Alchemy teacher. He didn't want them getting hurt.  
"Well damn, that's not very nice and neighborly." Observed Jade.  
"Tell me Neville, are they good at potions, have a friend who is, or have a stash?" Ed asked remembering Mustangs letter.  
"They might, why?"  
"If they really were to interrogate us, they would likely use Veritaserum." In response to two puzzled looks, he elaborated, "It's a tasteless, odorless, colourless potion that makes the drinker tell the truth. I'm not exactly sure if that means it forces you to respond or just leaves you unable to lie, but either one isn't an ideal situation. So don't eat anything near them if you weren't watching it at all times ok?" After their nods he continued. "I want you to draw circles."  
"What."  
"Alchemy requires circles, draw PERFECT circles until the month is up ok?"  
"Uhm ok."  
"Good, now I will escort you to your dorms, ladies first."  
So they escorted Jade to her common room and after saying goodnight, Neville found himself being tugged along by the Alchemy teacher into a side corridor.  
"Neville," He said, leaning down to be at eye level with him. " I need you to tell me what happened."  
"What happened where sir?" He stuttered trying to avoid the question.  
"You know what I mean, you were cornered and kicked, a lot. I'm pretty sure this isn't a one time thing, "  
"It's nothing."  
"It's not nothing Neville, but I won't force you to tell me. It's late and you probably want to sleep as much as I do. Let's get you to your dorm."  
So Neville too was taken to his common room and bidden good night. He looked at the clock and saw it was 11 o'clock, way past curfew. He fell into his bed and hoped that no one had missed him or would ask where he had been, he found out in the morning, he was wrong.


	16. Chapter 16

Ronald Bilius Weasley did not only think about food, he thought about possible death eaters as well. Right now, he had suspicions about two.  
"I'm telling you, the professor and the girl have to be death eaters!"  
"I agree with Ron, she attacked me and they had a discussion after I left. That should be enough proof Harry, let's go to Dumbledore."  
"Why? To tell him little Harry was spooked so bad by the dementors that he sees death eaters everywhere? He'll probably start laughing."  
"Dumbledore-"  
"Left me alone for the summer with the Dursleys and hasn't talked to me since last year!"  
"So you're not going to do anything about the death eaters?"  
"I just said I wouldn't tell Dumbledore, I never said anything about letting them go." And so the golden trio, became the scheming trio.  
LINE BREAK  
As they were in the middle of planning, Harry realized something.  
"Hey did either of you see Neville go to bed?"  
"No why?"  
"Well, he wasn't there when I went so I wonder where he was."  
"Just ask him if it bothers you so much Harry" sighed Hermione.  
So Harry wandered the halls looking for Neville, and soon found him. Talking to a Slytherin.  
"Hey Neville," he shouted, "Is she bothering you?" Both students jumped and the girl, who he now recognized as Jade, said something else and then left.  
“See you around, Longbottom” she sneered, pushing past him and knocking him to the floor disappearing into a side corridor.  
"I told you Neville, don't interact with the slytherins, they're a nasty bunch. " Harry said helping Neville up, for he had fallen to the floor.  
"Y-yeah" Neville stuttered. "I should've listened."  
"I mean, they think Gryfindors are back stabbers," Harry huffed "Obviously they never looked at the reputation of their house. Slythetins full of dark scum, like Voldemort. "  
"Yeah.." Neville agreed quietly. Harry was about to mention the reason of his visit, until he realized something.  
"Hey Neville"  
"Yeah?"  
"How come you didn't jump when I said Volde-" This time, Neville really did jump and yelped.  
"Don't say his name!" So Harry figured that Neville had just not noticed and that qas that. So now, he really did mention the reason for his visit.  
"Why weren't you in bed last night?" Harry asked  
"Huh?" Neville seemed confused and nervous  
"Last night when I went to bed, you weren't there. This morning when I woke up, you weren't there either."  
"Oh uhm... I woke up super early today, that's all." Neville quickly said, he actually did, after sleeping for four hours, his body refused to cooperate and let him have a few more hours. So he decided to go on a walk and from there he went to breakfast, ate a bit, walked some more, found Jade, found by Harry and now they were having this conversation.   
"Where were you last night?" Asked Harry his curiosity still not appeased.  
"Um uh I was talking to Professor Elric" he had said the truth before, why not now? What harm could it do? Only too late did he realize.  
"Wait, you mean you solved the riddle?!" Harry shouted, how lucky that the hallway was empty of students other than them or Neville would've found himself bombarded by questions. Both stood in shock for a few moments until Harry said "You've got to tell me how you solved it!"  
Neville however, was already turning a corner running and screaming "Just don't tell Hermione!"


	17. Chapter 17

Obviously the first thing Harry did was tell Hermione. He could never keep anything from his two best friends, even if they did keep stuff from him. He wished reactions were one of those things.  
“WHAT?!” Hermione screeched outraged. Harry lunged and clamped a hand over her mouth which she immediately wrenched off. “ You mean to tell me” she continued in a harsh whisper “ That Neville got the riddle?” After Harry’s solemn nod that told her she was not dreaming, she grabbed a pillow, stuffed her face in it and screamed.  
During Hermione;s sudden love of opera, Ron turned to Harry and said “Blimey, wonder how he got it? I mean he’s Neville and no offense but, he sucks at everything.” After a few seconds of quiet contemplation, other than Hermione in the background he spoke again, “ I wonder if anyone else knows that he solved it...” then it hit them both.“The Slytherin!”  
And so, yanking Hermione from her mourning, the boys raced to the last place they saw Neville when passing a corridor near the library they heard a slightly familiar voice say “Stop fidgeting, that’ll just make it worst”  
LINE BREAK  
“You messed up”  
“I know”  
“You messed up”  
“I know”  
“You messed up”  
“I know already!”  
“Heh, sorry kid but sympathy isn’t exactly my strongest point” Jade said chuckling  
“You were sympathetic enough yesterday” Neville grumbled  
“Yeah well, I was tired”  
“What does that have to do with anything?”  
“I was tired so I didn’t really care what you thought of me”  
“But you care now?”  
“I’m Slytherin” she said pointing to her emblem, “ I have to be all cool & cocky during the day or in unknown public circumstances.”  
“Oh I get it, it’s your rep.”  
“Basicly” They trailed into silence for a while, “ You do realize you’re going to have to tell teacher sooner or later right?”  
“Can’t it be later?” Neville asked feebly hoping she would cut him some slack,   
“No time like the present!” she said and whisked him away towards the Library, which according to her sources, what sources he wondered, was where Elric usually was. Just as the kingdom of Madam Pince came into view, Jade turned a sharp corner and they both stumbled into a side corridor.  
“Now what?” Neville said slightly out of breath.  
“We have to wait for him to exit, I’ll go check if he even is in there at all,” She vanished into the library and a few minutes later, reappeared, “He’s in there, now we wait.” So they sat on opposite sides of the wall and waited.  
As it turned out, they would be waiting a long time. And because they were teenagers, they were bored. First they played I spy, but quickly ran out of material,(‘I spy something red’ ’the wall’ ‘dammit’) then they played rock, paper, scissors, but got into a discussion as to whether paper beats rock or rock beats paper (‘Paper covers rock!’ ‘But rock weighs down paper!’) which ended in a water fight with the aguamenti charm (‘Violence is not the answer!’ ‘Survival of the fittest!’), and then they decided to do each others hair(‘I bet I could do your hair better than you’ ‘You’re on!’). Really it was a miracle no one saw them because of the noise they were making.   
Neville, in revenge for being soaked more, gave Jade a horrible ponytail that a muggle child might give it’s doll. Jade, once she heard the portraits giggling and realizing she had been given such a hairdo, retaliated by giving him tiny little braids that he made impossible to make because he kept shaking his head like a wet dog. She reminded him that she had sat still for him, to which he said   
”But it hurts when you pull it!”  
“Stop fidgeting it’ll only make it worse!”  
Both were having so much fun, that they forgot they were on the lookout and so were caught unawares when a certain trio burst into the hallway.  
“Leave Neville alone you slimy-!” That was as far as Ron got because then he was too confused at the scene before him, two wet teenagers with ridiculous hairdos in a giant puddle of water. “What.”  
“Neville are you okay? Get away from that death eater!” Harry yelled with his wand out, Hermione was better now and also held her wand out to protect her friend, granted one that was trying to blemish her smartest witch rep, but a friend nonetheless.  
“Get away from him!” she snarled pointing her wand at the girl, “Get away or I swear I’ll curse you!”  
“Guys stop!” Neville cried out as he stood in front of Jade, “She’s not bad!”  
“You don’t know what you’re saying Neville! She has you under the imperius curse!” At this point both friends wondered how the trio had come to that conclusion, they barely had time to wonder however, as Hermione blasted the first spell.  
“Stupefy!”  
“Protego!” Jade called out the spell and kept the spell as other curses were thrown at her. Just as she had had enough and was about to tell Neville to hold the shield as she cursed the everloving custard cream out of the idiot trio, she heard a clap and saw blue light. Then she saw a doorway appear on her side of the shield and a wall erupt where the shield had been. Then she felt and saw white gloved hands grab both her and Neville and pull them to the other side. She heard the trio exclaim at the wall and felt the ground shake as the wall and door disappeared.   
“What, in the name of all things real are you doing!” Edward Elric was pissed. He was just trying to get back to his room and sleep until morning but no. He had to be the one to stumble upon a group of teens who don’t know how to use words to solve their damn problems. He was going to murder Mustang for making him come here.  
“Professor we-!” started the black haired little runt when lo and behold the annoying know-it-all spoke.  
“Harry you can’t trust him! He’s also a death eater!”  
“What is it with you and death eaters?” He screamed “What is it next? Dumbledore’s a death eater?”  
“No,” chuckled a voice behind him, “ I promise you I most certainly am not.”  
Ed turned around wondering how much sleep he would be able to get when all of this was over.


	18. Chapter 18

“ Now if you would tell me how these events transpired Edward.” Dumbledore said holding his fingers together like a triangle and determinedly not looking at Harry. After catching the six, Dumbledore led them all to his office where he summoned the student’s heads of houses, Snape and Mcgonagall.   
“I just arrived minutes prior to you Sir,” Edward said with his poker face on, “I saw and heard the fighting so I investigating and saw these children fighting, well I say fighting, but these two were on defense,” he said pointing to the wet idiots,” and these three were attempting to stun, disarm, paralyze, tickle, and an assortment of other things.” he said pointing to the idiotic trio.” By the bye, how did you know to go there?” This bothered Ed, if the headmaster could see everything in the castle, this might complicate his future plans.  
The old man smiled happily, “I’m glad you asked, a ghost told me, actually the other day-”  
“Yes that’s all very nice” interrupted Snape “But the question remains, what do we do to them.”  
“They should all have 3 detentions for fighting, and fifty points from each house” Minerva said, and when Weasley looked about to protest, she added, “per person” with a fierce glare. Edward gulped thinking how much she looked like Izumi and torn by whether or not that was good, but he steeled his nerves and intervened for the wet idiots.  
“Minerva, I think that punishment would suit just the trio, the way I saw it, they were the ones attacking, I’m not entirely sure if the other two even fought back.” Ed said scratching his head and doing his best to look slightly sheepish which was hard because it was so obvious, to him, that the wet idiots were caught off guard because they were wet. Then he realized the idiots would probably get cold and sick so using Alchemy, the best thing ever, he dried them which led to a few seconds of staring until the conversation continued.  
“Miss Myers has always been a model student with above average marks, to think she would fight is so out of character that it is ridiculous.” Snape said with a slight leer at Hermione which had Ed wondering a bit but not really caring much.  
“Neville has also never fought before...” Minerva said a bit reluctantly, there was some more silence until,   
“Instead of just speculating, perhaps we ask the children?” said Ed and both heads looked at him as the idea had never occurred to them, and Ed wondered again if he was the only one with a brain.  
“Indeed, we shall do just that” said Dumbledore with a small smile and a twinkle in his eyes “Mr. Longbottom, would you care to tell me what happened?”  
Neville instantly froze and stuttered for a bit due to glares from the trio until Jade squeezed his hand and Ed nodded his head, then he seemed to gain confidence. Ed internally wondered what this indicated before deciding he was too tired to think much, and could simply ask Neville later.  
“Well Sir, Jade and I were fooling around in a hallway and then the other arrived and” here he faltered again until Ed moved so as to deliberately block the child’s view of the trio. “and then they started trying to curse us while Jade and I held up a shield charm until Professor Elric came and helped us.” Neville then looked up at them as if to challenge them and Edward felt immensely proud of the small little boy who had touched his heart.  
At this, the other adults in the room slightly started in different ways. Minerva almost looked like she expected this to be one big joke, Dumbledore as though he expected something else while Snape looked slightly pleased but torn between suspicion and concern too. Ed could understand, after all, as the sole Slytherin, Jade stood the highest chance of being blamed, all due to her house.   
“Professors! She probably has him under a confundus charm! We came to help him from her!” Hermione wailed.  
“Is that why you were shooting at him too?” Edward shot back  
“We weren’t shooting at them! They were shooting at us! You must’ve been confused sir.”   
“I-!” The argument would’ve lasted longer had Dumbledore not held up his hand to stop the Alchemist’s retort. Clearly knowing that the argument would be tedious, and wanting to go to bed, Ed let it go.  
“The easiest way to do this, since it is near curfew, would be simply giving me your wands,” they all did so, with some reluctance,” and now we shall do a prior incantato allowing me to see the spells previously cast.” The trio shared a look and gulped.  
The charm on Jades showed a shield, and a jet of water for the shield and aguamenti charms, Neville’s was the same. The trio’s wand showed the curses that Ed had mentioned and others. There could be no doubt.  
Dumbledore looked at all of them over his spectacles and smiled slightly as his eyes swept over the green clad girl, but then fixing his expression, before he announced his verdict. “Mr.’s Weasley and Potter as well as Miss Granger shall have 2 weeks of detention and 50 points off of their houses each. Mr Longbottom and Miss. Myers shall get 5 points taken off as well with no detentions.” The entirety of the trio looked ready to protest but really couldn’t, while Neville looked immensely relieved and Jade looked troubled.  
"Now if you children could scamper off to bed, we shall arrange your detentions." Dumbledore faced them all with a grandfatherly smile and all five left the office. "Now then who do you believe should supervise the detention?"  
Both Minerva and Severus pleaded prior commitments, so the only one available, was Edward.   
"Well then, it seems you will have to do it professor."   
And Edward, too tired to argue, agreed and went to his quarters intending on getting as much sleep as possible. However, as soon as he turned the corner, he was stopped by Jade who whispered "Legilimens" and then disappeared.  
When he finally reached his rooms, he face planted onto the bed, cursed Mustang and Wizards in general, then let sweet slumber embrace him. He would think up some wild plan in the morning.


	19. 19

When a certain young Alchemist awoke the next morning, he was tired. When he remembered why he was tired, he face planted into his pillow and groaned.   
“As soon as I get back to central, I’m going to-” What he was going to do was left for interpretation when his door was knocked on. He let out another groan before yelling out, “Give me a minute”. Ed started to pull on his clothes and was about to pull on his over jacket that covered his automail when the door started to creak open.   
Ed cursed, clapped, closing the door alchemically and trapping whoever it was that opened the door in the first place in a stone bird cage, then finished putting on his coat and gloves taking his time. He even braided his hair. Then he finally went to open the door bracing himself for whatever was on the other side.   
“I’m telling you this proves it!”  
“Quite! He might hear you.”  
Oh joy, more idiots. Would the fun never end?  
“What do you want?” Ed said leaning to one side and putting one hand on his hip and considering opening the cage.  
“We came to talk to you about the detention... sir” Said the brunette who seemed to be very reluctant to call him sir.   
“Very well, take a seat.” Said Ed gesturing them to sit after he opened the cage before doing so himself. “ Every night for the next three weeks, you shall go to the Alchemy room at 8 o’clock sharp. Am I understood?” He received nods and all three rose and turned to leave, but one hesitated.  
“What?” he asked.  
“Well you see sir, I already have detention every night for the rest of the week.” The kid stammered.  
Well if he always was as idiotic as he was last night, Ed wasn’t particularly surprised. “How unpleasant for you, you have double detention then, please tell me who the teacher is so that I can confirm that you actually have detention and aren’t just trying to get out of this one.”  
“Professor Umbridge sir”   
“What time does she usually end your detention?”  
“Around 10”  
“So at that time, you will come here and serve your other detention ok?” At the boys gasp of disbelief, he said, “You did something bad, now you must pay for it.  
“But by the time that finishes it’ll be 12 o’clock!”  
“Not my problem,now good day” and Ed slammed his office door in their faces.

LINEBREAK  
Ed was attempting to finish his letter to Al, (He had finally figured out how to use owls), when he got another knock on his door. “Can I not get any rest? Is that too much to ask?” he muttered to himself. Putting his letter in his pocket, he went to open the door praying it was not one of the three idiots. When he opened it, lo and behold, it was the no-longer-wet duo.  
“What do you two want?” He muttered with just his head sticking out.  
“We have serious business to discuss sir.” Jade said while Neville looked on slightly confused because he had been leaving the Hall when she grabbed him and pulled him towards the office.  
“Come in” Edward sighed, he wanted to ask her about what she meant by legilimens too. He knew it was a person who could read minds, but he wanted to know who, and how she knew. After all three took a seat, and Ed began to talk, ‘Alright, spit it out, how did you know there was a Legilimens?”  
“What” Neville look a mixture of surprise and confusion.  
“After the conference with Dumbledore yesterday, Jade creepily came out of a corner when I was returning here, and whispered Legilimens.”  
“It wasn’t creepy!” She said in half outrage, and with maybe a little bit of a blush over her face.  
“Like hell you weren’t!” Ed said back  
“Different people, different opinions!” Chimed in Neville  
“No fair! Two against one!”  
“Deal with it.”  
“Ugh” After a bit more snickering at the slytherin’s expense, Edward finally composed himself.  
“No but seriously, how did you know?”  
“Slytherin Voodoo” muttered Neville  
“No” she said shooting him a half hearted glare, “I just thought of something really funny when he was looking at me, because you need eye contact when doing it, and when he smiled, I knew I was right.”  
“He who?” asked Neville  
“Dumbledore.”  
“Well we’re screwed if this is for real”said Ed and after both groaned he smirked “Or at least we would be, I read some books about it, and to defend oneself from mind reading, all you need to do is think of something really hard.”  
All Edward got in return for his struggles, were blank stares. “What” they both said. He sighed, they really were idiots.  
“Basically, if I were going to do it to you, and you don’t want me to do it, you think of only one thing and that would be all I could see, so like a brick wall or something."  
"Oh ok" they both mumbled.  
"Um, sir?" Asked Neville "Why are you telling us this?"  
"The trio, and most likely, the teachers know you are associated to me in one way or another, you should at least be able to not die if they try to do anything ok?"  
"Ok"  
"Great, now leave, I've got stuff to do."  
"Rude."  
"Ok"  
With those words of farewell, Edward once again shoved students out of his room.


	20. 20

Edward had always been to the staff room when it was close to empty, if only for the coffee. Luckily, each time he went, that Umbridge woman wasn't there. He later heard from Minerva that she was almost never there, which meant he would have to find her. Ed sighed as he walked through the halls, it was such a bother having to do this. When he reached her office, he took a deep breathe to prepare himself for what he knew would be an irritating encounter.   
“Enter” said a sickly sweet voice after he knocked.  
“Good Afternoon” he said as he walked into the disgustingly pink office.  
“Good Afternoon, how may I help you Profesor...”  
“Elric, Professor Elric. And I require verification that a certain student has detention with you every night for the rest of the week.”  
“Do you mean Mr. Potter?” Was that the kids name? It sounded familiar.  
“Black hair, glasses and scar?”  
“That’s him. I’m surprised you had to ask, everyone knows of Mr. Potter.” Ohh right, the one he had to make sure wouldn’t die, she’s right, the scar would be a dead giveaway, he was going soft. Oh well, what better way than watching him every night, ... that sounded creepy.  
“Just verification Ma’am, well then, good day.” Ed turned to leave when she called after him/  
“May I ask what you needed verification for?”   
“Teacher- Student confidentiality binds me, good day” and he closed the door behind him firmly then silently sprinted away to Dumbledore’s office because a) he had something to discuss with him, and b) he did not want to face a barrage of questions and doubted that she could sprint or run at all.  
LINE BREAK  
“Why was I not told who Harry Potter is?” Ed asked.  
“I thought you knew” said Dumbledore because truthfully, he did think that. To be honest though, this probably explained his seemingly indifference to the boy-who-lived that he had shown previously.  
“Well I didn’t., he’s a bit scrawny for a savior isn’t he? A bit of a nosy bastard too.”  
“I-"  
"Have you been letting him do this? Because you don't seem too surprised to me."  
"Harry has been through many tough trials and-"  
"That doesn't explain anything old man, have you or have you not been letting him do what he wants?"  
"Yes. " there was a deep silence in which Edward looked at Dumbledore and wondered why on earth he would do that.   
"You do realize that both you and him are idiots right?"  
"What makes you say so?"  
"My own reasons. So, what do you want me to do about it?"  
"Watch over him."  
"Done, he's in detention with his pals for the rest of the month, I'll just give them more. Next? "  
"You shouldn't do that, he will grow to hate you! "  
"Then let him! I'm here to make sure he doesn't die, not to be his friend." Edward sighed, "I won't be too harsh. I can handle him."  
"Very well, I have a favor to ask of you."  
"What is it?"  
"Stay where Harry is for Christmas. "  
"No, nope, no thank you. " He was going home for Christmas dammit! “Not my division”  
“Please?”  
“Sorry old man, my answer stays the same.” He turned because he was afraid Dumbledore would read his mind, and know what he wanted most.  
“What about with a little persuasion?” Dumbledore hated to resort to bribery, but he would keep Harry safe however he could!  
“Tch, I have all the money I need, and if I need more, I can make it. So thanks, but no thanks.”  
“Power?” He was getting desperate now.  
“No dice”  
“Books?”  
“No, besides, if you’re sending him somewhere, I’m wagering that it’s safe enough isn’t it? Why do you want me there really?” forgetting why he turned in the first place, Ed turned and made eye contact. Immediately he saw Alphonse. His little brother smiling at him. He hadn’t been thinking of Alphonse, the old fool had made him. Ed began to recite the periodic table, elements, atomic numbers, protons, neutrons focusing on the science that had always shaped his life. The professor reeled back, not many people knew when legilimens was used on them, and even fewer could reject him, clearly this man was more than he thought. Dumbledore was reeled back to the present when the alchemist boomed, “Don’t you dare try to read my mind! And if you so much as think about the boy you saw, I will make sure you never think again.”  
With that the gold-haired male swished out of his office and slammed the door. Dumbledore chuckled to himself. “Things are going to get interesting aren’t they?”  
He had no idea what he had done, and how could he? He thought Edward as merely a dispensable pawn, why else would he be the one chosen the the fuhrer to assist them in the war? Clearly Amestris did not want to spare another. He had no idea that he was dealing with the Fullmetal Alchemist. So chuckling to himself, he started making arrangements.


	21. 21

Checking his pocket watch, Edward saw that the time was 7:50, the kids would be here soon. Great. He was so thrilled. He sighed. Why did this have to happen to him? There was a knock at the door.  
“Come in.”  
“Good evening, today you will write lines saying, ‘Violence is not the answer’.” He knew well how hands felt after writing a long time, and he overheard some teachers talking about them so he figured why not. He saw the two flinch and thought that was good because it meant that it actually would be punishment and he got it right. They sat down and wrote lines for an hour, then he dismissed them. Then Harry came in.  
“Ok, so you’re going to write ‘violence is not the answer’ over and over.”  
“How long?”  
“Long enough” At Harry’s look of fear he wondered how much wizards were pampered if writing lines made them cringe that much, if Teacher had been here...he shuddered, best not think about that. Harry sat down and looked at him. “What are you waiting for? A written invitation?” The boy started and began to write with his left hand, funny, he thought the kid was right-handed, and yes he was..... good grief, that writing look as bad as his when he first started relearning how to write with his left hand.  
“Potter!” the boy jumped, “What on earth do you think you’re doing? I didn’t ask for scribbles, I asked for lines!”  
“Yes sir, sorry sir” he mumbled he slowly moved his hand as if to switch them and, satisfied Edward continued reading his book looking up every once in a while to check his clock. When the hour was almost up, he got up to stroll around the room, which he had done before to create tension, but did now mainly to check if the kid had actually switched hands or was jerking him around. He guessed it was the second when he began to desperately cover the paper with his hands.   
“Let me see.” He yanked the paper from under him. “Did you even try?” It was still scribbles.  
“Yes”  
“Hand.” Harry gave him his left  
“Your other hand.” Potter hesitated before obeying with a sigh, the sight was slightly disturbing. Engraved on his hand were the words, ‘I must not tell lies’, written in blood. Was this how wizards did lines? Sick, not as bad as Izumi, but sick. He sighed, he would go to Minerva and ask. If he had to, he would get some and use them only once or twice if the person really deserved it. If he didn’t have to, he would leave it be.”Go to bed Potter.” he said softly, feeling like he had suddenly aged “You must be tired, go to bed.” He turned towards his room. “Good Night” He then slipped into his room and closed it with Alchemy.  
LINE BREAK  
“How’d it go?” asked his two friends  
"I...I don't know" Harry muttered honestly.   
"What? "  
"He saw the cuts, then he sorta waved me away. Like he just didn't want to deal with it. "  
"This proves it! He is a death eater! "  
"Exactly, if he wasn't, wouldn't he have cared?"  
"Guys, there's only one way to be sure, we have to question him."  
"But how? "  
"We tie him up "  
"When? "  
"After our detention, you guys wait for me and we get him after he lets me out. "  
“But what if he tells?”  
“Who would believe him?” they all jumped when they heard a squeak, but dismissed it when they heard nothing else.  
"Okay, tomorrow?  
“Tomorrow.”  
" With that the trio went to bed, and Neville went unnoticed as he tried not to freak out in his bed and let them know that he heard them.


	22. 22

Ed went straight to the faculty room the next morning determined to catch Minerva before classes started. He wanted to find out the entire truth behind the carvings in Potter’s hands. He couldn’t imagine Filius or Pomona using a knife on children. Severus maybe, and uh what was her name? Umbridge? he could definitely imagine her jabbing a kids hand. So it was all very puzzling to him. Besides, if Minerva wasn’t in the room, at least he could get himself some coffee. When he first stepped into the room, the air was so thick he could’ve cut it with a knife. One glance around the room told him why, Umbridge was in there simpering at her tea and stack of paper work. Ed quickly got his coffee and catching Minerva’s eye, went to talk with her outside. They walked a couple of of hallways down when Ed decided to ask her.  
“Say Minerva, how do kids do lines here?”  
“With a quill and ink of course,” Minerva said wondering if Edward was quite alright in the head.   
“Not with blood?” He stopped in his tracks, so then who did that to Harry?  
“Of course not! Please don’t tell me that is what you did to my lions!” She stopped too, if he had spilled one drop of her charges blood, she would-!  
“Relax,” He interrupted her sensing she would kill him if he hurt a student, “blood was spilt, but it wasn’t my fault.” He told her about Harry’s detention and what he had seen. She stood still for a second then grabbed his arm.  
“Come with me” and she pulled him towards the last place he wanted to be, Dumbledore’s office, where he retold the story, making sure to avoid eye contact and remember to this time.  
“So, this is what has been happening, I’m going to guess that he had detention with Dolores?” Dumbledore spoke over the tips of his fingers.  
“You’d guess correctly.” Edward said, holding down the ‘old man’ comment because this was hardly the time to do such a thing, even if the geezer deserved it.  
“The question is, how do we stop this? That poor child has gone through so much already, this must be so hard on him.”  
“He’ll live, just give him a band-aid and medical treatment.” Edward waved his hand not really feeling sympathy for the kid who made an old man tear him from his home. At Dumbledore’s sigh and Minerva’s gasp he said, “it’s just a cut on his hand, it’ll scar and hurt yeah, but he won’t die.”  
“But he’s just a child!”  
“He’s fifteen, not a toddler. There is no need to baby him.” He turned to leave, honestly, the kid wouldn’t die, and this might even help him to learn to think things through.  
“What about a deal?” He stopped, but didn’t turn around just yet.  
“What kind of deal?”  
“Get him out of the detentions, and you don’t have to stay with him during christmas.”  
“And if I refuse?” he drawled turning around.  
“I... I’ll tell your commanding officer to order you to!” The last cards were on the table, and the ball was in Elric’s court now.  
“How can I make sure you won’t tell him to anyway?” He would have to be an idiot to trust the old man just on his word, and if he messed up here, he would have to follow Mustang’s order anyways. Besides, he still had a few tricks up his sleeve.  
“You’ll just have to trust me.” Finally he had the brat!  
“Not likely” with that, he swished out of the room again leaving one witch and one wizard gazing after him, as well as a few portraits.  
“Really Albus! Did you have to do that?” Minerva exploded, men, always trying to come out on top.  
“It’s alright Minerva, I have something up my sleeve anyways.”  
“What is it?”  
“I have sent Remus on a mission, and he should be back in a few minutes.”  
“What was the mission?” She asked him warily.  
“To find out more about our young professor.” With that, the flames in the fireplace turned green, and a wizard with greying hair and shabby robes whisked into the office. “Ah Remus! How are you?”  
“Fine,thank you Albus, and yourself?”  
“As well as I can in my age, but now onto serious matters.”  
“Yes of course.” And all three took their seats.  
“So, what can you tell me about Edward Elric?”  
“I can tell you what they call him.”  
“And what is that?” asked Minerva  
“The Alchemist of the People and The Fullmetal Alchemist.”  
“Those are heavy titles for a child.”  
“That’s the thing, he’s carried those titles since the age of twelve, he’s twenty now.”  
“Why does he have those titles?”  
“This is what I’ve been able to gather,” Remus sighed and took a deep breath. “At the age of twelve, he showed up, took a qualification test that most adults fail to get into the military and received the name FullMetal. He then proceeded to defy the stereotype that all alchemists are bad, and completed all of his assignments. One of which, was defeating another Alchemist who had planned to freeze over the capital. He would travel around the country with his brother who always wore a suit of armor, no one knows why. They became well known because they would help everyone who needed it and Elric had auto mail, which is a highly advanced form of prosthetics. Around the time he was fifteen, a mass murderer want around killing State Alchemists, Elric was targeted more than once and was the only one aside from the Flame and Strong Arm Alchemists who survived the attacks. There was a coup d’etat four years ago in which the previous Fuhrer was overthrown and proven to be inhumane or a monster? All the stories start to vary at this point, but in the end all of the other alchemists and most of the military were down and it came down to Elric and some kind of monster that bullets wouldn’t hurt and Elric won. Some survivors say he was stabbed, burned and tossed around but he wouldn’t give up, even with a nail through his arm. He then left to his home town Resembool and resigned as a State Alchemist. About three years ago, the current Fuhrer himself went to talk him into working for him again. People say that he had to try ten times before Elric agreed, and that was only because he said he would just continue to be annoying unless he agreed. Elric was reinstated and instead of doing what he did before, he became an ambassador working directly with and under the Fuhrer .”   
There was a dead silence in the office after Remus finished his report. Minerva started rethinking everything she had thought about him due to what she thought was his insensitivity to others. Albus was overwhelmed by how wrong he had been and thankful that he wasn’t dead because it seemed that if he wanted to, Elric could kill him.   
“Merlin.” Minerva broke the silence, “And his parents?”  
“His mother died when he was 10, and his father left when he was six, returned to fight, then died soon after the battle.”  
“Does he have no other family? His brother?”  
“A few say he died at the battle which is what caused Elric to kill the man, most say he’s alive and well and has finally taken off the armor. I frankly don’t know.”  
“No, I’m quite sure he’s alive, if I recall correctly, he was with Edward when I went to pick him up” Interrupted Dumbledore.  
“So then he probably is alive, he isn’t in their house though, it’s burned down, and when I asked the neighbors, they said it’s been burned down for years and they have no clue where either brother is.”  
“Thank you Remus.”  
“Dumbledore, there is one more thing.”  
“What is it?”  
“Even though Elric scares me a little, and all of this information is from gossip, I honestly think he would be an invaluable member to the order.”  
“Thank you Remus, I shall keep that in mind.”  
“Well then, good day.” and nodding to both professors, he stepped into the fireplace and with a whoosh, he was gone.


	23. 23

Neville skidded into the classroom, hoping against hope that no one else was in to room. The room was half full with a mix of Slytherins and Gryffindors, including the trio and Jade. He really didn’t know where he stood with either he mused as he sat down. Yeah Jade had said that they were friends, but she had also said that she had a rep, which he understood to a point. He knew it was hard to not follow the majority. The trio, were more than likely upset at him for both getting them into detention and not telling them the answer to the riddle. What was he supposed to do? He put his head in his arms and let out a groan.  
“Hey man” Oh look, Dean was standing near him..  
“Hey”  
“How’re you doing?”  
“Good, you?” Obviously there was more to this visit than just hi.  
“Uhm well, Seamus and I had a fight. So uh, can I sat next to you?” called it.  
“Yeah sure.”   
“Thanks” he sat down, and there a silence.  
“So what’d you fight about?”  
“He kept going on about Harry saying that You-know-Who was back and I told him I didn’t want to hear it. so he told me I was siding with Harry and I should sod off.”  
“Tough. Well what do you think?”  
Dean thought hard before he answered. “I don’t Harry is the type to lie about things like this, but I don’t want to believe that the government is that corrupt. Y’know?”  
“I know how you feel. If you want my honest opinion, I think Harry’s right, but if you don’t think that, it’s fine, no one can make your mind up for you or control your thoughts. You can have your own opinion, just as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone “  
“Thanks Nev. I guess I should apologize to him huh?”  
“If you want, i would suggest letting him cool off first. he might blow up, besides, class is gonna start soon.” RIght on cue, Edward strode to the front of the room.   
“The month is over!” he declared. “One by one, please get in a line and tell me your answer He the riddle, if it is correct, I will instruct you to sit down with the others who have solved it. As of now, the ones who have solved it are Jade Myers” cue collective gasp at a Slytherin getting the riddle, “And Neville Longbottom.” cue more gasps, really, wizards are their intake of air. “now everyone form a line!” there was a scrabble as no one wanted to be in the front. in the end, a blond slytherin, the same one he had scolded on the first day, was in front with two large boys on either side, with the trio right behind them and a dark skinned boy in the back. “alright lets go.” He lead the blond boy into his office, and the room burst into chatter as everyone tried asking the two what the answer was. “SILENCE!” He shouted as he poked his head out of the door, and the room was silent once more.  
LINEBREAK  
“Alright, have you any idea what the answer is?”  
“No but,” He stuck his hand into his pocket “I’m sure it doesn’t matter.” he said as he put a gold coin on the table with each word.   
“You’re right” said Edward with a smile, “Gold doesn’t matter.” and, having drawn an array previously on the bottom of the table incase this happened, turned the boy’s gold, into lead.  
“My father will hear about this!”  
“Good for him”, and shoving the kid out of the room called, “Next!”  
The two goons didn’t know the answer and said as much before leaving. After them, was the group Ed dreaded the most, the trio. Granger was first.  
“Do you-”  
“N I don’t know the answer!”  
“Would you like to try to guess?”  
“Why should i? I’ll just be wrong!” And she took off out of the room sobbing.   
“Well, that was dramatic.” and shaking his head, went to call for the next one, which was Harry, but he was shoved aside by Ron who shouted at him.  
“What did you do to Hermione!?”  
“I told her she was incorrect.”  
“You had no right to do that!” The boys face matched his hair and he was getting a bit too close for comfort. Also he was acting foolish.  
“Yes I do, and I can also do that to you, clearly you have not solved the riddle and so cannot take the class. Next!” The class started muttering amongst themselves, how was Weasley’s behavior a sign that he hadn’t solved the riddle? And how had Hermione gotten it wrong? Wasn’t she the smartest witch? Harry was also quite confused, Hermione had told them only minutes before that she knew the answer and would definitely get into the class. How had she failed? The professor’s voice yanked him back to the present.  
“What are you waiting for Potter? A written invitation?”  
“No sir, sorry.” They stepped inside the office and Elric shut the door.  
“So do you have an answer?”  
“No? Not even a guess?”  
“No”  
“Very well then, you may leave, send the next one in.” Why he hadn’t thought of that before, he’d never know. The rest of the class came in one at a time and gave him their answers. There were a few who tried to bribe him, but he turned their gold to lead and shoved them out. Some just said they had no clue and left, and one girl gave him a really, really weird answer. He shuddered when he thought about it, and when the last kid was in, he really just wanted to fling himself out a window because he had no clue how to deal with the knowledge that no one would get the riddle anymore. His hope had died after the tenth kid.  
“Do you know what the answer is?” He drawled.  
“I’m not sure but,” Well, at least this one had an idea. “Does it have anything to do with how our actions affect others?” Ed quirked his eyebrows, this one was on the right track.  
“Close, think it out.”  
“My opinions and actions affect others, and theirs affects me. Without one of the first happening, the other won’t react, but either way it will keep going.”  
“Good enough for me!” Ed sat upright. “What’s your name?”  
“Thomas, Dean Thomas.”  
“Well Mr. Thomas welcome to Alchemy Class!”  
“Thank you sir.”


	24. 24

Edward and Dean walked out of the office and into the room of the solvers, Jade and Neville, on one side, and everyone else who hadn’t got it and was staring enviously at them. They stared at Dean too when he sat near them. He got a high five from Neville, and an appraising look from the Slytherin. Edward explained to the rest of the class that they had not solved it, therefore could not take the class, and were not to stand near the Alchemy class anymore and if any of them got the bright idea to eavesdrop, they would be expelled. The three who had solved it tuned him out and whispered to each other.  
“So how’d you get it?” Asked the Slytherin, Jade was it? While Elric was shoving the last kids (Slytherins trying to bribe him, the trio were gone) out of the door.  
“Neville here helped me.” He clapped him on the shoulder.  
“Eh? What? No I didn’t!” Neville shook his head confused out of his poor mind.  
“Well, not directly.” Dean admitted. “You gave me some advice and it got me thinking, it wasn’t like a step by step thing, and I had to think a lot to get it, but it helped.”  
“Oh”  
“So how’d you get it?” Dean asked back, mainly at Neville, but the Slytherin answered first.  
“I watched a movie.”   
“Isn’t that a mug-”  
“Alright! You three are the only ones who solved it for your class!” Elric interrupted. “So first things first, what do you want to specialize in?” He said as he sat on the desk.  
“Huh?” Blank stares greeted him.  
“Well, in Alchemy, each Alchemist has a thing they specialize in, otherwise they wouldn’t get anywhere as each takes a long time. A person I know specializes in stone, another in iron and so on and so forth. Do you have any idea what you would like to focus on?”  
“Is there anything to do with plants?” Neville was the first to break the silence.  
“Let me think.” There was some more silence as Ed racked his brain, “Yes!” He shouted, “Yes there is!”They all jumped. “Is that what you want to do?”  
“Yes Sir.”  
“Great!” He took out his notebook and wrote it down, “Have you two decided yet?”  
“I guess I’ll go with stone?” said Dean remembering   
“Ok! Myers?”  
“I’ll go with water” Edward involuntarily flinched as he remembered Issac McDougal, the Freezing Alchemist.  
“You ok?” asked Neville  
“Yeah just fine.” He shook his head. “So!” He took out three sheets of parchment and with his pen he wrote down the periodic table three times. He drew the boxes, the labels, atomic numbers, and wrote a guide for how to read the boxes and what stuff meant when he remembered they did not have a science class and probably stopped with regular learning once they came here so the chance of them know what the table even was, was very slim. He turned around and slapped them onto the kids desks, then turned to draw the table on the board, “Do any of you have the faintest clue what this is, just say it, don’t bother raising your hand, it’s only three of you.”  
There was a silence and Ed was just about to turn around and explain when suddenly, “It’s the Periodic table of Elements.” Jade spoke up. Both boys turned to look at her. Dean was about to open his mouth when Ed cut him off.  
“Correct! What else do you know? Come up here and point it out!” And he went and dragged her out of the chair, because they were finally getting to the good part- Alchemy and science!  
“Atomic Number, Number of Protons, Symbol, Noble Gases, Groups, and uh that’s it.” She pointed at the ones she knew and trailed off. Ed was a bit disappointed that she didn’t know more, but at least she knew some things. He sighed.  
“Ok! to learn everything, you wouldn’t even get to transmute for another 5 years. So instead you’ll just focus on what you’re doing. Longbottom, I would suggest choosing a couple of common plants and learning their formulas, Thomas you do the same with rocks, and Myers, water is water so you just have one formula, unless there are other types of liquids you wish to use.” At their sighs of relief he smirked, “But you’ll have to know about basic chemistry and science.” At that, the class ended and he distinctly heard a whisper of, ‘just kill me now’ coming from two of the three students. Just as he turned to go back inside, he was grabbed by his sleeve and saw that it was Neville.   
“What is it?”  
“Can I tell you something?”  
“Sure” He closed the door behind them. “What is it?”  
“They’re planning to question you.” Ed froze.  
“”What?”  
“The trio, they’re planning to question you.” He sighed, the teens he could handle, if they were adults, he wouldn’t be too sure.  
“When?”  
“After their detention tonight, Hermione and Ron are going to wait for Harry, then try to catch you unawares.” Neville took a deep breathe, “Please don’t tell them I told you. I don’t want to get mixed up in this, i just thought I should tell you because it’ll be three verses one.”  
“Don’t worry Neville, I’ll deal with it, thank you for telling me.”  
“Yes sir, good day.”  
“Good day Neville.”


	25. 25

Hermione was upset. She was very upset. She was extremely upset. No one would ever understand how upset she felt. She felt as if she had been about to reach immortality but had it snatched away. Truly, there was no one more miserable than her. She sobbed in Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom and jumped when she heard the door open.  
“Hermione?”  
“Yeah” she sniffled. Her two friends came into view.  
“What happened?”  
“I-I didn’t know the answer!” She choked out, “A-And I’m supposed to be the smartest! But I didn’t know the answer!” she kept on sobbing not really caring about how she looked, it was a double period class so they would have enough time. Next was Transfiguration, if anything, at least Mcgonagall would pity her.   
“Its ok Hermione, I’m pretty sure no one else did.” comforted Harry  
“Yeah, look at the map, everyone who didn’t get it is probably out already.”suggested Ron  
“Oh, yeah” so Harry took out the map and activated it. “Everyone is still in line, we’ll check it later” he quickly stowed it away and hoped that Hermione would forget about it, everyone was walking back to their seats after being in the office. He did not want to be the one to tell her that, he rather enjoyed living. “So umm, why don’t we talk about the plan?”  
“Plan?”  
“To question the professor.”  
“Right”  
“Where are going to get rope?”  
“Honestly guys, are you wizards or not? Just cast an Incarcerous!”Hermione started to sound like herself again, hopefully she would forget about the map.  
“Oh right.”  
“So once Ron and I get out of detention, we’ll wait outside the door with the invisibility cloak and when you get out, we’ll shoot at him with spells, tie him up, then take away his wand and question him.”  
“Ok.” and the trio fell silent for a while  
“Harry.” Hermione broke the silence  
“Yeah?”  
“Can I see the map now?”  
“Uhm uh it hasn’t been too long so uhm probably they’re still in line.” He stammered out,and once he and Ron made eye contact, Ron knew.   
“Yeah Hermione, maybe we should just wait and ask someone in Transfiguration”  
“I don’t want to wait until Transfiguration! I want to know now!” She knew she was being demanding, but honestly, she needed to know. She didn’t even want to go to class now, what if she was the only one who hadn’t gotten it? Oh she wouldn’t be able to stand the shame! No one would like her anymore! That slytherin would get called the brightest witch! No! Over her dead body would that happen! “Give me the map!” she shrieked. Reaching for it.  
“No!” Harry scrambled away on his knees before getting up to run out of the room. Hermione turned to Ron.  
“Y-you know, I think Ginny’s calling me. Coming!” And he too ran out of the room with her chasing after them both.  
LINEBREAK  
The trio met up once again in Transfiguration, the two boys walked in to find Hermione sitting in one of the back rows, when usually she sat in the center front desk. Except in DADA, but that was different. No one wanted to be in the front in that class, especially Harry.  
“Hey Hermione, you okay?”  
“Everyone else got it. Didn’t they?” she sniffed “That’s why you guys didn’t want me to see it.”  
The two boys shared an easy look.  
“Well we don’t know for sure” mumbled Harry.  
“We just didn’t want you to be upset and obsess over it”, continued Ron/  
“Thanks for that I guess” she replied. At that moment, Mcgonagall strode into the room.  
“Good day you three,” she nodded in their direction then had a double take when she saw Hermione, “Goodness Ms. Granger what happened?”  
“I-”  
“Elric kicked her out of class” Ron cut in.  
“What?” The professor was visibly shocked.  
“There was a riddle we had to solve,” said Harry, “And if we didn’t solve it, we couldn’t take the class. None of us solved it.”  
“What was the riddle?” Could it truly be that these three couldn’t solve the riddle? Was this the riddle that Longbottom and Myers had solved?  
“One is All, and All is One” recited Hermione, so that was the riddle, didn’t seem to hard. She’d think more on it later, as the students trickled in, she remembered, she had a class to teach.   
“See me after class you three.” She said before starting class.


	26. 26

The trio followed the professor to the teachers lounge where they saw Elric spread across a couch snoring lightly with papers all over him which surprised the trio because he hadn’t given homework or class work in the month that they had him.  
“Professor Elric.” boomed Mcgonagall.  
“Yeah?” He woke with a start and somehow managed to keep all of his papers balanced on him.  
“What is the meaning of this?” She asked him  
“Meaning of what?” He picked up his papers and made to turn around, “Look I know it looks messy, but I know what i’m doing with- Ah, you mean them.” He sighed. “My office or yours?”  
“Mine if you please” So the quintet trudged to Mcgonagall’s office. And once they got there Mcgonagall sat in her chair, the trio sat on a couch, and another chair was waved into existence for Edward, but when gestured to sit, he said that he preferred to stand.  
“So, what’s your beef with me?” asked Edward getting straight to the point.  
“These three say they were kicked out the class is that true?”  
“Not so much kicked out as they didn’t make the cut.” he muttered.  
“Which was a riddle.”  
“Yeah.”  
“Why a riddle?”  
Edward sighed, “When I was going through my training, My teacher told me to solve the riddle or not study with her, she gave me a month, the same as I gave the children.”  
“But I bet you had resources! And you told us to not help each other!” cut in Hermione  
“I also didn’t leave you on an abandoned island did I?” He snarled back thoroughly done with the girl.  
“Professor Elric explain yourself” demanded Mcgonagall astonished at what he said.  
“Tch, fine,” He didn’t want to seem too willing to talk about what happened, but he also knew women were terrifying, “My teacher dropped me off on an island with the same riddle and told me if i could survive a month on the island without Alchemy or Magic, and solve the riddle, then and only then would she take me on as her apprentice” He thought it wise not to talk about him not knowing magic or about Alphonse, let them think he was the only brother who knew Alchemy, he knew they might approach his younger brother eventually, so let them think he was harmless, and let them be surprised. As Edward was wrapped up in thinking how his little brother could totally beat up some wizards if the situation called for it, Minerva struggled to process how this man who was a teacher, had survived on an island for a month, why she didn’t think one of her N.E.W.T students would be able to do that. Suddenly she remembered her talk with him in the lounge, ‘I was self-taught, but then got a teacher’ was this the teacher he had spoken about? What kind of woman does that?  
“How old were you Edward?” Please let this be recent, in his teens at least.  
“Uh ten?” Oh Merlin so young. She felt herself gasp and heard the gasps of the trio beside her. Edward cringed, he had to watch what he said, dammit he was letting too much slip! He cleared his throat.  
“This has nothing to do with the current subject!” He proclaimed, “They won’t take the class and that is final.”  
“But why?” whined Hermione  
“Because you do not understand the riddle!”  
“Why is the riddle so important?” asked Minerva, it was just a riddle.  
“Alchemy” he paused, should he say this? Yes, so that they knew what they were dealing with, “Alchemy is a science, it is also very dangerous and if the wrong people study it, so much can go wrong.”  
“Yes but surely these three won’t do anything too bad.”  
“Are you sure?” His words sliced through the air. “Do you know their souls?”  
‘I-” Minerva was again shocked, truly he didn’t think these three would cause harm?  
“There was a man” Edward said his blood boiling, ‘Who would kill people just to see them die. Do you know how he killed them? Do you?! He would use their bodies as explosives. And they’d go boom.” he clenched his fists. “Another who searched for knowledge, and by doing so killed millions. All it takes, is the wrong person taught, and a little girl gets killed. Do you honestly think I would even consider being the one to commit that mistake!” Edward walked towards the door and had it opened when Harry cried out.  
“But I need to defeat Voldemort!” Three people in the room flinched but Edward’s resolve only grew.  
“Then get the hell up and wake up, I only see a boy when I look at you, use your goddamned legs!” and he stormed out of Minerva’s office, Harry dashed after him filled with indignation at being looked down upon.  
“Don’t call me a boy! You don’t know what I’ve been through!”  
“Does your past give you an excuse for the present?” Edward whirled around to face him, and Harry felt as if he were being pinned, x-rayed and stabbed with the intensity of the professor’s gaze.   
“I have a right to be angry! You don’t know what it’s like!”  
“What is it like then? Go on tell me!”  
“One of my friends died last year!”  
“What does that have to do with it?”  
“My friend died!” Did this man not know sympathy?  
“Yeah I got that now ask yourself, do you think they would be proud of the way you’re acting now?”  
“My parents are dead!”  
“Would they be proud?” Elric shot back, clearly this boy wanted pity, his plight was no different from countless others, so many others.  
“There’s a dark wizard after my head!” Harry was losing steam quickly, he barely registered Mcgonagall and his friend running up to them.  
“He’s after everyone’s head, your point?”  
“Everyone expects me to save them.”  
“When you can’t even save yourself?” With that Harry said no more and settled on glaring at the retreating professor’s back.


	27. 27

“Mister Elric!” Mcgonagall sprinted to catch up to the blonde while his friends comforted the boy-who-lived.  
“What a git” spat Ron.  
“Really he had no right to say that to you Harry” agreed Hermione. “ And you know he’s wrong right?”  
“Yeah he has no clue what you’ve been through. He’s probably never even seen a death eater.” reassured Ron.  
“Yeah guys, you’re right. He’s as big a git as Snape is, I can’t wait to see his face when we question him tonight.” Harry smirked, “That idiot won’t know what hit him.”  
And then they heard shouts down the hall.  
“Leave me alone!”  
LINEBREAK  
“Professor Elric!” Minerva chased after the man.  
“What!” he turned and she stopped short after about two hallways.  
“What you told that boy was completely unnecessary and hurtful!”  
“Unnecessary my ass! The brat needed to hear the truth, his delusions do nothing but injure himself and those around him!”  
“Did you have to be so crude about it?”  
“I’ll be as crude as I like! He isn’t an invalid!”  
“But he is a child!”  
“He’s not a child either! He’s a brat! He needs to grow up!  
“Exactly my thoughts professor” interrupted a sickly sweet voice, and Dolores Umbridge walked around the bend. “These children need to be punished, do you know what my favorite form of punishment is?”  
Minerva and Edward grew silent. Minerva hoped to Merlin that the professor wouldn’t go as far as the hag in disciplining students. Perhaps Harry was being a bit over reactant, but surely Edward would see that blood quills were not the answer?  
Edward, for his part was assessing the situation the way he would assess a battlefield. What move would bring his opponent crashing down? What would cause havoc? What would send everything to hell? Ugh, he didn’t need this, honestly, why would Mustang send him? He would pummel him as soon as he got the chance, but for now to deal with the unwanted toad.   
“Miss-”  
“Professors! Professors!” Just as he was about to pull the ‘I completely agree with you’ act and then use it later to make her dig her own grave, the bush head turned the corner.  
“Miss Granger!” a slightly worried Minerva realized that she was alone and slightly panicked, “Where are Mr. Weasley and Mr. Potter?”  
“Harry heard Neville being bullied, and went to go help him, Ron’s helping them out, but I don’t know if they’ll be able to take it!”  
“Very well, lets go.” Minerva would take any reason to get away from the pink-clad Ministry official. So she fastwalked behind Hermione to where she had last seen them, and then a little further then, she heard screams.  
Jade’s mom had always told her to keep her head down if a thing didn’t concern her, and she always thought that she had kept to it rather well. Granger always wanted to be first in the classes the lions and the snakes had together, and good for her she made a rep of a know-it-all. Potter seemed to always draw trouble and even though the scar was kinda cool, she could live without all the drama that surrounded him. Weasley was okay, but to be honest not a lot that he did affected her. She sorta shied away from Gryffindors, because they were usually so very loud and noisy. She had friends in the other three houses, and her friends would always say that she just needed a lion to complete her collection, to which she responded that wet cats were too hissy for her. Besides, the hat kinda ruined it for her. She chuckled whenever she thought about the first train ride. Everyone wondered what house they’d be in. Ravenclaw for wisdom and knowledge? Or Hufflepuff for diligence and loyalty? Maybe Gryffindor for bravery and chivalry? Or Slytherin for the cunning and resourceful? She was worried, she’d admit it. Slytherin was for the evil and dark, said some purebloods. She had panicked when she got into it, was she evil? Would she end up murdering thousands? She had written home and expected a letter of disappointment when actually his dad said that Slytherin had been his old house. Her parents had hid all of her dad’s Hogwarts things so that she wouldn’t be biased on which house she wanted. She was glad, her dad wasn’t a bad guy. Neither would she be, she was determined to change the negative view of Slytherins as much as she could. Even if it was only a little. No one in her house really minded. They just told her to watch what she did and said, they had to appear united, or else they would be under attack from the three other houses.  
Now, looking at the scene in front of her, Draco, Gregory, and Vincent bullying Neville with Harry and Ron trying to help him, she was forcibly reminded of her promise, and of her friendship. Neville saw her from around the corner and understood in an instant what her dilemma was. She was tied. She couldn’t help either side without it backfiring somehow, or it would just escalate the problem. Neville knew how it felt, and which choice she would likely chose, the one where no one won. He knew not to get his hopes up, but a part of him wished she would be brave enough to try to help him.  
“Hey Draco!” she shouted. “Teacher coming fast, run! I’ll cover!”  
“Thanks for the heads up Myers!” And the trio vanished from sight behind a corner.  
“Honestly Neville! Why don’t you just run?” She turned to look at him with a bored look on her face.  
“That would make me a coward.” He returned with a slight smirk.  
“Gryffindors and their stupid bravery.” Jade sighed. “C’mon lets go before a teacher does come.”  
“Stay right there!” Jade turned to see two wands pointed at her. Great, idiots. “First of all, calm-!”  
“Incarcerous!” A blast of light blasted her backwards and she slammed into the wall with ropes around her. She groaned. “Was that really necessary?”  
“Yes, you’re a Slytherin” Harry told her stiffly. He conjured up a gag. “This is completely necessary.” He approached her holding up the gag.  
“Oh gross.” She wiggled desperately around until she was lying on the floor and prepared to go as she did not want to be put in a position where she couldn’t even scream. “I don’t know where your hands have been!”  
When he took a moment to stare at her, she screamed for all she was worth, and rolled down a hallway, “HELP! I’M BEING TIED UP AND POSSIBLY KIDNAPPED!”  
“Don’t let her escape!” shouted Harry and he and Ron raced after her as Neville sat by slightly worried for his sanity.  
What Minerva saw and heard was by far the strangest thing she had ever come upon. A tied up girl was rolling down the halls screaming about being kidnapped and needing help, while Potter and Weasley were chasing after her. The duo stopped short when they saw their head of house, but the girl kept rolling and screaming until she rolled into Elric’s legs and even then she wriggled around like a possessed worm while he tried propping her up.  
“HELP! I DO NOT CONSENT TO THIS! I HAVE BEEN TIED UP AGAINST MY WILL! I REQUIRE A LAWYER AND-!”  
Finally Edward had had enough of her ungodly screaming and wiggling and using a small knife that he started carrying after finding out how useful it was, he cut her lose.  
“Well, well, well, what do we have here?” purred the Ministry official.  
And everyone knew, this would be a more stressful day than anticipated.


	28. 29

Snape sneered at the trio, “Obviously these three were trying to harass one of my students but she was clever enough to get away, even if it was in an unorthodox way...” he trailed off remembering how Minerva had described it, ‘wiggling like a possessed worm’, it was hardly something he expected to hear, but, this was Myers, the same girl who had somehow beaten Granger at a riddle and not gotten into Ravenclaw. He had started wondering about that after hearing about it, but he guessed her ingenuity had something to do with it.  
Edward internally sighed, they hadn’t been at this too long, but he knew it would take a long time. After the pink demon showed up, she wanted to have everyone in her room when Ed cheerfully reminded her that because she was simply a defense against the darks teacher, the children were not under her direct control and as she sputtered in rage upon realizing this, he, once again cheerfully, directed everyone to the headmasters office and he might or might not have sealed the toads office door with a tiny bit of Alchemy. He also might or might not have grinned evilly at the lions who turned to look at him in fear. After getting Severus and dragging him to the headmasters office, he was sadly kept as a witness which he protested quite verbally until Severus threatened to slip poison in his coffee, how rude.   
“Severus, let us hear from the children” sighed Dumbledore, at least the old man wasn’t a complete fool. “Well then what happened? Ms. Granger?”  
“Well sir we were walking and heard Neville being bothered and Harry and Ron went to help him as I went to get the teachers.” she said, Edward was surprised that she wasn’t screeching about not being in the class, but then, he guessed it was because she didn’t want to admit she didn’t get the riddle, foolish girl.  
“And then what? Mr. Weasley would you like to tell me?”  
Ron gaped at the headmaster before answering, “Well sir, when we got to Neville, we saw that he was being bothered and retaliated, then uhm Myers got hit with a spell which is why she was rolling down the hall, and we went after her to try to help.”  
“Then why was she screaming about being kidnapped?” interrupted Severus, clearly not buying the story.  
“Why indeed.” replied Dumbledore nodding at Jade to tell her side of the story.  
“Well Neville and the other two were fighting another trio, so what I did was yell that a teacher was coming and they ran so I went to see whether or not he was dead. I turned around and these two were pointing their wands at me telling me to not move. Then Harry cast an incarcerous and I slammed into a wall tied up and they were going to gag me when I rolled out screaming and then I bumped into Professors Mcgonagall and Elric, thank you for getting me out of the ropes by the way, and now I’m here.” She sat looking at the headmaster with a bored look in her eyes, and Ed wondered whether she was trying to block her mind, he would ask later.   
Dumbledore sighed, “Since there is no way to know which of you is telling the truth, I shall have to punish you all, each of you will receive one detention, Professor Elric would you be so kind as to supervise the detention?”  
Ed sighed internally, so this was the man’s game. “Sure, all of you come to my office at 8 o’clock sharp. Might as well get it over with.”  
“You are all dismissed.” Everyone got up to leave and Ed was planning how to teach the basic science in a way that a wizard wouldn’t die. The students were outside and only he Minerva, and Severus were in the room with the headmaster when he heard his name being called, “Edward, please stay.”  
“What is it now old man?”  
“I would like to offer you a membership.”  
“Membership?”  
“Would you like to join the group opposing Voldemort?”  
“No thanks.”  
The two teachers looked at him in astonishment.   
“Why not?”  
“My orders are to make sure Harry Potter does not die during his fifth year at Hogwarts, no more, no less. I intend to vanish from your world the moment my mission is done.”  
“But we might need your help!”  
“I won’t be an attack dog for you, save your own goddamn hides.” and again he strode out of the office.  
“Albus, this won’t work. Elric is set on not helping, I don’t think we can change his mind.” Severus said when the door had closed fully.  
“Severus, kindly tell me what today is.”  
“October second sir.”  
“I believe, in a week, we may have a more favorable answer.”  
“Sir?”  
“His examination is in a week, and his superior officer is coming to test him. We shall see the extent of our young alchemists skill, and see if we can get help from his officer to persuade him.”  
“If I may ask sir,” interrupted Minerva, “What is the officers rank and name?”  
“Roy Mustang, Furhur.”  
“You mean he”  
“Yes, he is no ordinary alchemist. But I fancy you knew that already.”  
LINEBREAK  
“I know it’s going to be harder now!”  
“You don’t have to yell”  
“So do we do it anyways?”  
“Yeah”  
LINEBREAK  
Ed really, really, really, hated wizards. They expected others to solve their problems and refuse to use their legs. Ugh and then they acted as if everyone else was their enemy or best friend. There was no in between. Well, not all of them, but the prominent ones did. He had a massive headache from dealing with them. He groaned again, why him, why him, why him, he repeated this several times before he heard a series of knocks on the door.  
“Come in”, he called out, getting up and straightening up. As the three students trudged in and sat down getting their writing utensils out, he stood in the front. “For the next hour you will write, ‘Violence is not the answer’.” The he sat back down and started thinking. Mustang was coming in a week. Hawkeye was probably coming too. He had done some of his paperwork, but there was still so much to do, and he didn’t want to do it. He was slightly glad he had to host the detentions, because it gave him an excuse to do the paperwork, but he would never admit it. As he made his way through a paper about the delegations with Ishval, he wondered if this was how Mustang used to feel doing all that paperwork. Then he decided he didn’t particularly care. After lazing his way through about five papers, he looked at the time.   
“Seems you guys can go,” He said dismissing them. “Have a good night.” After a few mumbled responses the group left and he stretched while waiting for Potter to show up.  
A few knocks on the door herald his arrival. “Come in” Harry took his seat and Edward noticed that the kids hand wasn’t bleeding, but looked sore. “Write ‘violence is not the answer’ for an hour. Then you may go.”   
As Harry sat down, he thought carefully to distract himself from the sting of writing, when he left the room, he would give a signal, and Hermione would shoot the man with Incarcerous, then they would question him and go to bed, the plan was foolproof.   
Edward knew what was going on. He also had a plan, and as reflected on whether or not this plan would actually work, he did a little bit of his paperwork. When the hour was drawing to a close, he put away his papers, if he messed them up, he would probably get a bullet through his head.   
“You may leave, good night, and the minute Harry opened the door wide enough, a ray of red light blasted towards him as he heard the word ‘Incarcerous’ being yelled. He dodged it and with a slight tap, he activated the array he had put in place during his free time. Suddenly,a box of of glass surrounded the boy-who-lived.   
“Reduco!” Yelled Harry and he tried blasting the glass to bits, surprisingly, the glass absorbed it, and grew stronger. As his two friends tried blasting it as well, the glass just grew stronger and stronger.   
“What did you do?!” the children screamed and Edward smirked.  
“Alchemy requires energy, light is a type of energy, you are essentially feeding the array energy.” after a bit of silence as they tried to process this he spoke again, “I know what you were trying to do, and I didn’t like it so I decided to stop it.” he gave them a slightly demented smile. “I would appreciate it if you let me rest, even teachers need sleep.”   
He then used the array to create an opening allowing the boy to leave, and created a stone wall in place of the door for both the classroom, and office. He chuckled to himself getting ready for bed, it had gone smoother than expected. His luck wasn’t all bad, and today wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been. He hoped he could make it through tomorrow.


	29. 29

So I realized that I missed some things in the HP verse, so things might seem crowded because I’m gonna be fiddling with the timeline. Just a heads up.  
When Edward woke up, he immediately wished he hadn’t. The sun was shining, and birds were chirping. And he was miserable. True rain would’ve made his ports ache, but at least it would’ve given him an excuse. He sighed as he got ready for the day. The only thing that even slightly perked him up, was the thought that Al wasn’t alone. But even that wasn’t enough. At least he wasn’t as bad as before. The first few times this day came around, he and Al were practically dead to the world and answered no outside world communication. To the point where Mustang almost knocked down the door when he got no response. The past couple of years the brothers had been able to act normally during the day. Then they would spend the night at their mother’s grave clutching each other with both of them relishing the ability to feel, to feel each other near themselves, even if they were shaking and sobbing and pleading forgiveness for what they did. They would tell the other in broken voices that they were sorry. They were so sorry. Neither brother would sleep and in the morning they would return home before sunrise and act like nothing happened. If anyone asked, they would say they were up reading. Even if no one believed it. No one would push it.  
But Al was not here. He was alone. He was so alone.   
After a few minutes of staring at himself in the mirror and wishing that it wasn’t his face looking back, Edward sighed and went out to eat at the kitchens like he usually did. He had to keep going onwards, even if it was just to breakfast.  
“Can Blippy get something for you sir?” asked a small house elf as soon as Ed stepped through the portrait.  
“If it isn’t too much trouble, may I get some coffee and waffles?” he replied, the creatures did love to serve and thrived on praise, but he always made sure he was polite. Even that one time when he was extremely grumpy at the world, he made sure he never took it out on the elves. It wasn’t their fault.   
“Yes sir” squeaked the elf as he and two others scurried around to give the alchemist his request. After Ed ate his breakfast, he walked towards his room but soon found that the doorway was blocked by the pink menace.   
“Professor Elric.”  
“Yes?” He forced himself to sound like he was tired, rather than let his emotions control his voice. He didn’t need this.   
“I am going to conduct an evaluation of your class if you don’t mind?” she simpered at him. He sighed, so much for actually teaching anything today. Make his day harder, why not. If there was a god, it truly hated him.  
“You could, but I must warn you, todays lesson is merely an introduction.”  
“But it’s a month into the school year.”  
“I spent that month weeding out those who were troublesome and not fit to learn my subject.”  
“Oh? And who were the ones you took out?”  
“Better to say which were the ones I didn’t.”  
“How many?”  
“Three.”  
“Only three?”  
“For this class” he clarified not wanting misunderstandings.  
“How about-?” but at that moment the three students walked into the room effectively interrupting the woman. Edward was glad, he just wanted to get through the day as quickly as possible.  
“Good morning, students” he addressed the three as they sat down. This confused them until they saw Umbridge in the corner and knew what was going on.  
“Now then, in Alchemy, the basis of a transmutation circle is the power of the circle. The circle displays the calculation of power and by sketching the the construction symbol in it, it becomes possible to activate its power.” He walked up to the board and drew a basic transmutation circle, one he had learned when he was five. “In order for you to be able to perform something as simple as this,” Here, he took a paper and drew the circle activating it to make a paper crane. “You will have to create perfect shapes. If a circle is even wobbly, you risk a rebound and depending on the array, the consequences can be sever.” Thomas raised his hand and Ed called on him.  
“What are the best and worst case scenarios sir?”  
“Best, it just doesn’t work. Worst, you die.” At the student’s expressions he said quickly, “The most advanced thing we’ll get to will give you a papercut at most, don’t worry.” looking at the clock he said, “Now for the next, 30 minutes, I would like for you to practice drawing different shapes,” he spoke as he drew them on the board, “These are the basic ones, circles, triangles, squares, and lines. I know it may seem boring, but unless you have a gift for it,” like Al does, he added mentally. His brother was able to draw perfect circles off the bat while he had had to practice for a few days. “it’s going to take a while for it to turn out perfect, but practice makes perfect.”   
As the three set to work with shapes, Umbridge walked around them asking questions in a hushed voice, and receiving answers in equally hushed voices. She then approached Edward.   
“This your first year teaching is it not?”  
“Yes it is.”  
‘What led you to seek a teaching position here?”  
Edward thought fast, from what he had heard from students complaining about this woman, and from the newspaper, she was very into ‘destroy Hogwarts’ and ‘don’t let the students do anything’ type things. So he told her what she wanted to hear.  
“They needed an Alchemy teacher and I was the best for the job, so I was chosen to go. I’m afraid that’s all I know. ” He didn’t tell her an eighth of what he knew, but that was beside the point.   
“What do you plan to teach this year?”  
“Simply the basics, how to make an array and activate it, maybe a few transmutations, but only simple ones.”  
“Would you mind giving me a demonstration?” She said as she furiously took notes.  
“Sure” he shrugged, he took chalk and made a very simply array on the ground creating a stone birdcage with a stone bird inside. Simple, but not too simple.  
“You shall receive the results of your inspection within a week.”  
“I look forward to it.” he smiled at her until she left the room, then he started muttering about how he wished he could jam her into a cage. The trio’s snickers are what brought him back to earth. “Alright you three, I assume you made perfect shapes if you’re laughing.” that shut them up and he sighed. Ten minutes left. Ten minutes too many. The day had barely started, and he already wanted it to end. He sighed again, he was tired.   
LINEBREAK  
Ed didn’t go to dinner that day. He wasn’t hungry. Instead he locked himself in his room and opened the little hidey-hole he had made last month. In it, were Alphonse’s letters. He shucked off his coat and sat by the fire, reading them from oldest to newest.  
Brother,   
I miss you. I’m glad you found a way to write. We’re all doing okay here. I went to visit Central command a few days after you left. Breda is finally past his fear of dogs. So Black Hayate is a common sight there now. I told them about my plan to go to Xing. Breda told me to be prepared when I cross the desert because it would be really hot and I was probably really susceptible to heat stroke. Hawkeye agreed with him so I guess I have to postpone my trip.   
I took Winry back to Resembool to go visit for a while. I don't think I’ll ever get over how great it is to be able to feel again. Thanks for the cat by the way. I decided to name her Andromeda, after the constellation. She and Den surprisingly get along, which is great! Winry says to not mess up your automail. Granny said that she wouldn’t be surprised if you came back shorter. I can’t wait until you come back!  
Write soon,  
Alphonse.  
Ed smiled as he read the letter, he felt a sting of self pity when he thought about his mistake costing his brother his chance to explore the world. He reminded himself that that was the past and he would do anything to help Alphonse, even if it cost him his life. He had responded to this letter by telling Alphonse about the wizard’s tacky dress taste, the toad and the trio. He moved on to the next letter.  
Brother,  
Winry is counting down the days until she gets a phone call from you saying you busted your automail. I told her about the no electricity and she slammed a wrench on my head. I now know your pain brother and I am so sorry for your poor head. When you come back I will try to help you hide any broken parts of your arm. And don’t try to deny it because we both know something is going to happen to it.  
Those kids sound really nosy, make sure you don’t mess up around them. I’m glad not all wizards are bad, but still, you have to be careful. This ministry woman sounds very bothersome. She has the most potential to find you out. Make sure to keep your cool near her. She could give you some trouble.   
Also, a man came around a few days ago, he asked about us. Winry and Grandma told him that they didn’t know where we were, and Armstrong came to visit yesterday. The man has been going all around the county asking about us. Havoc did some undercover work and found out that the man had never heard of us, but because of gossip, he now knows you have automail. Please be careful brother. I’m heading out for XIng in a few days so that even if he returns he won’t find me. I think he was a wizard, he has brown hair with a few gray hairs, dressed slightly shabbily, with scars on his face. Does this sound familiar?  
Please be safe brother,  
Alphonse.  
That letter made him give slight scowl and chuckle at the beginning, but then the ending had worried him. It had taken a bunch of his self control to not burst into the headmasters office and demand an explanation. He had written back to Al telling him that he didn’t know the man but would keep a look out. He also replied that it wasn’t his fault his arm always broke. He would also keep watch on the troublesome people and hide as long as he could, but he could promise nothing. Ed told Al to give his regards to Mei, Lan Fan, and Ling, and that he appreciated the help but his arm wouldn’t break.  
Brother,  
Ling said he was upset that you hadn’t come but when I told him that you were teaching he nearly died of laughter and said that would happen when you were as tall as him. I reminded him that you were the same height as him, if not taller since you stopped growing for us both, and he got a really far away look in his eyes as Lan Fan told me that I broke him. Mei grew since we last saw her and so did Xiao May. Even if it was only a little, but don’t tell them I said that. Ling has been really busy while I’ve been here, but he always makes time for me which is really nice.   
I’m learning Alkahestry from Mei and it really is difficult, at least she doesn’t teach like Teacher does. I wish you were here to learn with me. I really miss you. I’m going back to Resembool for Christmas. Ling invited me to stay but it doesn’t snow here. I know it’s a silly reason, but I really am hoping for another white christmas, even if it is cold. Is it cold in Britain? I know it rains a lot, but is it cold? Make sure you take care of your ports, if you catch frostbite Winry will try to kill you, but I will first. Schools have christmas breaks right? See if you can come back for it. Maybe you can switch to Arctic automail.  
I miss you,  
Alphonse.  
This letter arrived a few days after Dumbledore had tried to get him to stay with the Boy-Who-Will-Possibly-Be-Killed-By-Edward-If-He-Ruins-Christmas. Ed snickered as he imagined the idiot prince’s face again. He also missed his brother badly, and he didn’t know what he would do if he couldn’t see him. He didn’t want to worry Al, so he didn’t mention that in his next letter, instead opting to complain about the weather and the cold. Edward also jokingly reminded Al who the older brother was and to not worry about him because he could handle himself.   
The next couple of letters that they exchanged only spoke of small day to day things that warmed Edwards heart anyways because they meant that his little brother wasn’t in any danger. The most recent letter spoke of only small things, like Ling fooling everyone that he was still Greed until Mei splashed water on his hand and his ‘tattoo’ washed off. Or at least, that was what it would look to anyone else. Behind the code that the brothers normally used, there was another that only the two could crack. (They knew that for a fact, they tested it out on Marco, Mustang, and Teacher and none could figure it out.) In it was the true letter. And reading it tore Edward’s heart in half.  
When he got it a few days ago, he had felt a giant pain in his chest and gotten something in his eye, no he wasn’t crying. Reading it now, he sobbed, he sobbed in a way that was purely reserved for this day. What kind of a brother was he? A rotten one. Alphonse didn’t deserve this. Alphonse deserved so much better. When he wrote back, he told his brother how sorry he was, how truly sorry. He told him how he much he loved him, and that he would willingly die for him and so many other things. His writing had looked horrible because he had been struggling to see through his tears. He wished to whatever powers that may be that a convenient phone would pop up and he would be able to call Al, to hear his voice. Now he wished to just be able to see him. So he stumbled his way from the fire to his trunk and threw everything out of it until he found what he was looking for. Pictures. They reminded him so much of Hughes and he collapsed in a fit of deranged sobs that sounded a tiny bit like laughter. And clutching the pictures of his dear brother as close as he could without absorbing them, he fell asleep, haunted by nightmares that would always chase him. Awake or asleep they chased him. And he would never be able to forget, he was human.


	30. 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I used some parts of the book here, so disclaimer, that is not mine.

It was late, but they still had an essay to do. Well, Harry and Ron did, Hermione was done with hers. It was pretty late and all three were yawning. It was half past eleven and they were only half done. Ron groaned.  
“Hermione....”  
“No”  
“C’mon” wheedled Harry  
“No, you brought this on yourselves.”  
“But Hermione.....” Both boys pleaded.   
“No! I’m - Sirius!” she had caught sight of said man’s head in the fire.  
“Please!”  
“No guys, Sirius!”  
“C’mon Hermione, don’t do this to us”  
“I think she meant me.” chuckled the ebony haired wizard. The boys whirled around to the fire, and they gasped when they saw his head in the fire.  
'I was starting to think you'd go to bed before everyone else had disappeared,' he said. 'I've been checking every hour.'  
'You've been popping into the fire every hour?' Harry said, half-laughing.  
'Just for a few seconds to check if the coast was clear.'  
'But what if you'd been seen?' said Hermione anxiously.  
'Well, I think a girl - first-year, by the look of her - might've get a glimpse of me earlier, but don't worry,' Sirius said hastily, as Hermione clapped a hand to her mouth, '] was gone the moment she looked back at me and I'll bet she just thought I was an oddly-shaped log or something.'  
'But, Sirius, this is taking an awful risk - ' Hermione began.  
'You sound like Molly,' said Sirius. This was the only way I could come up with of answering Harry's letter without resorting to a code - and codes are breakable.'  
At the mention of Harry's letter, Hermione and Ron both turned to stare at him.  
'You didn't say you'd written to Sirius! said Hermione accusingly.  
'I forgot,' said Harry, which was perfectly true; his meeting with Cho in the Owlery had driven everything before it out of his mind. 'Don't look at me like that, Hermione, there was no way anyone would have got secret information out of it, was there, Sirius?'  
'No, it was very good,' said Sirius, smiling. 'Anyway, we'd better be quick, just in case we're disturbed - your scar.'  
'What about - ?' Ron began, but Hermione interrupted him.  
'We'll tell you afterwards. Go on, Sirius.'  
'Well, I know it can't be fun when it hurts, but we don't think its anything to really worry about. It kept aching all last year, didn't it?'  
'Yeah, and Dumbledore said it happened whenever Voldemort was feeling a powerful emotion,' said Harry, ignoring, as usual, Ron and Hermione's winces. 'So maybe he was just, I dunno, really angry or something the night I had that detention.'  
'Well, now he's back it's bound to hurt more often,' said Sirius.  
'So you don't think it had anything to do with Umbridge touching me when I was in detention with her?' Harry asked.  
'I doubt it,' said Sirius. 'I know her by reputation and I'm sure she's no Death Eater - '  
'She's foul enough to be one,' said Harry darkly, and Ron and Hermione nodded vigorously in agreement.  
'Yes, but the world isn't split into good people and Death Eaters,' said Sirius with a wry smile. 'I know she's a nasty piece of work, though - you should hear Remus talk about her.'  
'Does Lupin know her?' asked Harry quickly, remembering Umbridge's comments about dangerous half-breeds during her first lesson.  
'No,' said Sirius, 'but she drafted a bit of anti-werewolf legislation two years ago thai makes it almost impossible for him to get a job.'  
Harry remembered how much shabbier Lupin looked these days and his dislike of Umbridge deepened even further.  
'What's she got against werewolves?' said Hermione angrily.  
'Scared of them, I expect,' said Sirius, smiling at her indignation. 'Apparently, she loathes part-humans; she campaigned to have merpeople rounded up and tagged last year, too. Imagine wasting your time and energy persecuting merpeople when there are little toerags like Kreacher on the loose.'  
Ron laughed but Hermione looked upset.  
'Sirius!' she said reproachfully. 'Honestly, if you made a bit of an effort with Kreacher, I'm sure he'd respond. After all, you are the only member of his family he's got left, and Professor Dumbledore said - '  
'So, what are Umbridge's lessons like?' Sirius interrupted. 'Is she training you all to kill half-breeds?'  
'No,' said Harry, ignoring Hermione's affronted look at being cut off in her defence of Kreacher. 'She's not letting us use magic at all!'  
'All we do is read the stupid textbook,' said Ron.  
'Ah, well, that figures,' said Sirius. 'Our information from inside the Ministry is that Fudge doesn't want you trained in combat.'  
'Trained in combat!' repeated Harry incredulously. 'What does he think we're doing here, forming some sort of wizard army?'  
That's exactly what he thinks you're doing,' said Sirius, 'or, rather, that's exactly what he's afraid Dumbledore's doing - forming his own private army, with which he will be able to take on the Ministry of Magic.'  
There was a pause at this, then Ron said, That's the most stupid thing I've ever heard, including all the stuff that Luna Lovegood comes out with.'  
“So we're being prevented from learning Defence Against the Dark Arts because Fudge is scared we'll use spells against the Ministry?” said Hermione, looking furious.  
“Yep,” said Sirius. “Luckily, Dumbledore took a measure against that, and hired someone who will teach you defensive measures so you guys could protect yourselves. ”  
The trio looked confused, unless Dumbledore had planned for them to ask Harry to teach them, they couldn’t see what he had done.  
“Who?” The highly confused teenagers asked, they were also very sleepy and didn’t want to think too much.   
“I thought it would be obvious...?” asked the now equally confused Azkaban escapee, “Did he not show up to teach or something?” The trio felt stones in their stomachs.   
“Describe him Sirius?” asked Harry apprehensively.   
“Well, none of us have met him. We only know he’s from a military, specially recommended by the king, very powerful, and an Alchemist.” mused Sirius.  
The trio’s faces of horror were Sirius’ first clue that something had gone terribly wrong.   
“What? What is it? What happened?” he said slightly frantically, because if that bastard had done anything to his godson, by Merlin, alchemist or not he was gonna-  
“We uh, might’ve been kicked out of his class.” admitted Harry.  
Sirius took a few moments to register this. “Excuse me for a second,” he let out a colourful exclamation of disbelief in his kitchen, then inserted his head back in the fire. “I’m going to need you to explain this to me.”  
After a slightly exaggerated edition of the story, in the same fashion as Yoki’s retelling of his encounter with the same Alchemist, the three waited with bated breath for Sirius’s response.   
“So you’re telling me that this man, just waltzed in and told you you weren’t good enough for his class, only let like three students in, and trapped you in a glass box for detention?” Sirius was very upset. No one treats his godson like that and gets away with it. The man was also ruining Dumbledore’s plan of letting the kids have some means to protect themselves. He sighed, this would have to be brought up at the next order meeting for sure. He noticed Harry stifling a yawn and realized how late it was. “Alright guys, I’m going to go now, contact me if anything happens, and I’ll see what I can do about the Alchemy teacher.”  
With that Sirius popped out of the fireplace, and the trio were left to sleepily finish their homework.


	31. 31

The air was filled with energy. He lay on the floor bleeding with an unbearable pain in his leg.   
“Dammit, this wasn’t supposed to happen!”  
He looked around  
“Alphonse? Alphonse!”  
A suit of armor, it’ll do.  
I’m sorry.  
“Give him back!”  
I’m sorry!  
“He’s my little brother give him back!”  
I”M SORRY!  
“Take my leg, both my arms, my eyes, my heart! I don’t care! Just give him back! He’s all I have left! Give me back my little brother!”  
Tears.  
A flash of light.  
“AHHHHHH”  
Pain  
So much pain.  
“Brother!”  
“I’m sorry Alphonse, I only managed to get your soul.”  
I’m so sorry, I bet you hate me, I hate me too.  
“Wonderful Ed! You fixed your little brother!”  
“Mom?”   
“But why...couldn’t you fix me?”   
A pile of organs.  
A failed transmutation.  
“Mom!”  
I’m sorry.  
“Big Brother!”  
A girl and a dog.  
“Nina?”  
“Don’t you want to play?”  
A chimera.  
“We’re exactly alike!”  
A bloodstained man.  
“No! No!”  
I’m a monster.  
“Am I just a puppet?!”  
No, you’re my brother.  
You’re all I have left.  
I’m sorry.  
I’m so sorry.  
“Don’t cry.”  
“Elicia?”  
“Don’t cry Mommy.”  
Hughes.  
“Stop by when you get the chance.”  
It’s my fault.  
I’m sorry.  
“It’s your fault.”  
I’m sorry!  
“I hate you”  
“I’M SORRY!” The alchemist jolted up in bed. Tear stains ran down his face. He looked around and saw it was still early. He curled up with his pillow on his bed clutching it to his chest shaking with his tears. “I’m sorry, I’m so so sorry...”   
No one could hear him.  
The dead could not come back to life.  
Not ever.  
LINEBREAK  
“Are you going to Hogsmeade?”  
“Wah?” Edward paused in shoving food in his mouth, just because he stopped eating for Al, didn’t mean his appetite had shrunk.   
Minerva wrinkled her nose at him before continuing, “The town just a little ways outside of the gates. Surely you’ve heard of it.”  
“I am new to Britain after all.” he scowled half heartedly after swallowing. “What is it with you people and naming things after pigs?”  
“The pig symbolizes abundance in food and prosperity.” she responded shortly.  
“Oh that explains it, and I might go, I don’t know yet.” He exchanged pleasantries with her, then threw back his head and laughed as soon as he was out of her earshot. Pigs, more often than not, meant laziness and stupidity. These wizards really were foolish, but maybe he would visit the village.  
LINEBREAK  
“I did not sign up for this.” Ed was looking around the village. There were too many students. The pub that Minerva had recommended was chock filled with students. And so was the candy store. Ugh, why did the world have to be so cruel? As he wandered through the village, he noticed a pub a bit out of the way called ‘The Hog’s Head’ with a picture of a bloody head of a hog. Nice wizards, nice. Now all they needed was Pigs Pelvis.   
As he snickered to himself about his joke. He noticed a steady stream of students entering the pub. He sighed, clearly he would not get a break, well, crowded was still better than overfilled. Ed moved forwards until he caught sight of two of his students. Longbottom and Thomas, Interesting. He was glad he had dyed his cloak black before coming out. He flipped the hood up so that his face and hair couldn’t be seen. He knew how weird it was to see a superior, er teacher, outside of the office, er classroom, so he would spare them the awkwardness.   
Edward moved in with a group of three girls, one with dreadlocks, and two other looking stereotypically british. He made sure it didn’t look like he was stalking them, hopefully no one would think it suspicious, hopefully... He jinxed it, he jinxed it so badly, he could not have jinxed it worse. He would take Mustang teasing him that he was short over this, not that he was but, he had automail dammit! He sighed. Potter was sitting with a whole bunch of other students around him. Oh look, here come more. Making a mental count, he saw about twenty kids, with four other adults, not counting the bartender. Two somethings in heavy cloaks, one man covered in bandages, and another something in a veil. So covering one’s face was a trend here, lucky. He sat at the end of the bar where he could watch and hear them, but they could barely see him.   
“One butterbeer please.” He murmured to the man. After exchanging the drink for money, he sipped from it finding it to be quite good. He would have to repay Minerva later for introducing this to him.  
He listened to the little speech, which sucked compared to Mustangs sudden monologues, but he also was quite sure she was not trying to be top dog, hopefully. He listened as they praised the kid and he mulled over the things they said.  
Patronuses were mainly used toward Dementors, things that created sadness. It sounded like a form of mental illness embodied. He wasn’t too impressed by that, most people who get depression learn how to overcome it, so the spell itself wasn’t that impressive to begin with, but that fact that grown-ups had trouble with it made him wonder about it a bit.   
A basilisk was a snake that could kill you with a look. All you had to do was not look at it and be aware of your surroundings, not that hard. Well, at least it was more than a simple spell. Still, why a sword? Why not a gun? Also, how had the kid even found a basilisk to fight?   
The sorcerers stone, why did that sound-? Fuck. He forgot, he was gonna ask about it. He would have to look into it, maybe it wasn’t the same thing? Who was he kidding, what else would have that name? But still, if it was the philosophers stone, how badly guarded did they have it so that a kid could find it!? More importantly, where was it now? You couldn’t destroy a philosophers stone, you could only use all of it. They didn’t even have the alchemy to use it. Unless it wasn’t complete? But it would still be made the same way! And what did they mean by this ‘coming back ‘? Did the dark idiot go on vacation? Is that it? He knew it wasn’t coming back from death, the dead could never come back, that was a fact. From jail? But if he was as evil as everyone said, wouldn’t he have been executed or something? Wizarding authorities would be truly stupid if the jail theory were true, and-  
“Here’s an idea, why don’t you shut your mouth?” Someone said loudly.  
For a second, Ed feared he had been talking out loud and was internally panicking because insulting everyone was not good for said insulties to hear. But he quickly realized from watching them and focusing, that it was not him the feeling of hostility was aimed at, but at a blond guy. After a few more minutes of them squabbling, they all signed a sheet. Ed noted that the blond guy and another girl were hesitant to sign it, and knew that one of them would be likely to betray the others. He never understood people who did that. Why?  
The redhead who pulled a prank on him the first day lead the way out with his twin and another kid. The rest trickled out, and after giving them some time, he finished his butterbeer and strolled out. Maybe he would try that candy store again. Who knew, maybe there would be less kids there now.  
As Ed strolled through the town, a gust of wind came and knocked his hood down. His hair flew free and he quickly pulled his hood back on before continuing at a slightly faster pace. Hopefully noone saw him, and if they did, they didn’t recognize him. He just jinxed it didn’t he? Oh well, one look at candy, then back to the castle.  
LINEBREAK  
Harry had never before appreciated the beauty of Hogsmeade as much as he did now. Looking around in an effort to distract Hermione he saw the perfect excuse, “Hey Hermione, isn’t that the person from the bar?”  
“Huh?”  
“Over there,” he pointed towards the cloaked figure. “I wonder where-?” At that moment, a strong gust of wind passed by and Harry saw a sight he did not expect “Hermione.”  
“Yes?”  
“It was Elric.”  
“What?”  
“The man at the bar, was Elric.”  
“How would you know?”   
“His hood just fell off, I saw his hair it’s long and gold just like his.”  
“It could’ve been anyone”, she said with a slight waver to her voice.  
“But what if it was?” Whispered Ron.  
“Now, we can’t panic, Sirius told us Dumbledore hired him, maybe he just happened to be there?”  
“No, he walked in with Angelina, Alicia, and Katie. I don’t think he just wandered in.”  
“What do you reckon?”  
“Lets try to follow him, maybe he’ll lead us somewhere.”  
So the trio followed the golden haired man, but he only lead them to honeydukes, and then the castle. They had no way of knowing and tried to rein in their suspicions, until the next day.


	32. 32

Edward saw the decree, and the first thing he did was groan. He knew it. He knew this would happen, he just didn’t think it would happen this quickly. With any luck, not that he had any, no one would have seen his going in or out of the bar, or he would be the prime suspect, or maybe the two shady kids would be.  
LINEBREAK  
“It was Elric.” Insisted Harry as they were sitting in the back of their History of Magic class.  
“I don’t know Harry.” said Hermione biting her lip.  
“Listen Hermione, just because he’s with the Order doesn’t mean he’s good, he could be like Snape.” Ron backed up his friend.  
“What if he was working for the Order though?” she wondered  
“Huh?”  
“What if he was keeping an eye on Hogsmeade for the Order and we just happened to go to the same place he was stationed?”  
The boys thought over this for a bit, then sighed.  
“That would have to be a pretty big coinci-”  
“Harry, look!”  
Hedwig was   
Hedwig was perched on the narrow window ledge, gazing through the thick glass at him, a letter tied to her leg. Harry could not understand it; they had just had breakfast, why on earth hadn't she delivered the letter then, as usual? Many of his classmates were pointing out Hedwig to each other, too.  
'Oh, I've always loved that owl, she's so beautiful,' Harry heard Lavender sigh to Parvati.  
He glanced round at Professor Binns who continued to read his notes, serenely unaware that the class's attention was even less focused upon him than usual. Harry slipped quietly off his chair, crouched down and hurried along the row to the window, where he slid the catch and opened it very slowly.  
He had expected Hedwig to hold out her leg so that he could remove the letter and then fly off to the Owlery, but the moment the window was open wide enough she hopped inside, hooting dolefully. He closed the window with an anxious glance at Professor Binns, crouched low again and sped back to his seat with Hedwig on his shoulder. He regained his seat, transferred Hedwig to his lap and made to remove the letter tied to her leg.  
Only then did he realise that Hedwig's feathers were oddly ruffled; some were bent the wrong way, and she was holding one of her wings at an odd angle.  
'She's hurt!' Harry whispered, bending his head low over her. Hermione and Ron leaned Hermione and Ron leaned in closer; Hermione even put down her quill. 'Look - there's something wrong with her wing - '  
Hedwig was quivering; when Harry made to touch the wing she gave a little jump, all her feathers on end as though she was inflating herself, and gazed at him reproachfully.  
'Professor Binns,' said Harry loudly, and everyone in the class turned to look at him. 'I'm not feeling well.'  
Professor Binns raised his eyes from his notes, looking amazed, as always, to find the room in front of him full of people.  
'Not feeling well?' he repeated hazily.  
'Not at all well,' said Harry firmly, getting to his feet with Hedwig concealed behind his back. 'I think I need to go to the hospital wing.'  
'Yes,' said Professor Binns, clearly very much wrong-footed. 'Yes . . . yes, hospital wing . . . well, off you go, then, Perkins . . .'  
Once outside the room, Harry returned Hedwig to his shoulder and hurried off up the corridor, pausing to think only when he was out of sight of Binns's door. His first choice of somebody to cure Hedwig would have been Hagrid, of course, but as he had no idea where Hagrid was his only remaining option was to find Professor Grubbly-Plank and hope she would help.  
LINEBREAK  
Edward was not one to refuse a chance at coffee, even if he had gotten enough sleep last night. He was in the staffroom drinking the liquid gold when he heard the tell-tale bell that meant a student was outside and the four teachers, Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank, Pomona Sprout, Minerva Mcgonagall, and himself had a short but intense stare down in which they decided who would have to sacrifice themselves and answer the door.  
When the knock came, Ed flopped back on the couch he was on and gave loud fake snores that meant that he would not get up even if they paid him. Pomona followed right after, and while Minerva was staring in shock at her colleagues, Wilhelmina took the opportunity to do the same, conveniently making sure that she did not lose her place in the newspaper and that her pipe did not go out.   
“Honestly.” she muttered as she walked towards the door and opened it. “You haven’t been given another detention!” she said as soon as she opened the door, the other three miraculously woke up and tried to see without being seen themselves, a problem solved when Ed tilted a conveniently located mirror so that would be possible. When they saw that it was Potter with an owl, Wilhelmina walked towards the door just in time to catch the words ‘she’s injured’  
‘Injured owl, did you say?” she said as she popped up behind Minerva.  
As Minerva and Wilhelmina discussed the owl with Potter, Pomona went back to grading papers while Ed continued to overhear while looking while he was just drinking his coffee. Thestrals were creatures that could only be seen by those who had seen death. Ed had seen death before, of course he had, being a soldier. They weren’t exactly the prettiest thing in the world, but there was something about them. So morbid, they were beautiful.  
As Wilhelmina, followed by Minerva, entered the staffroom again, Ed noticed that there was a certain worry in the latter’s eyes. He had a class to teach now, so he couldn’t question her. He also noticed that the owl had her feathers ruffled as if something had grabbed her mid-flight. He stood, draining the last of his drink and putting the mug away.   
“So what happened?”  
“The owl’s injured, looks like someone or something grabbed her.” said the Care of Magical Creatures teacher with a slight scowl examining said owl.   
“Good luck with her then,” He said as he walked out of the room. Hopefully the owl hadn’t been carrying something important. Hopefully.


	33. 33

That night after everyone had gone to bed, Harry, Ron, and Hermione waited next to the fire for Sirius to appear.  
“Sirius!” they said in unison.  
“Hey guys, how’re things?” he smiled  
“Not good, Umbridge forced another decree on us disbanding teams and clubs and-”  
“Secret Defense Against The Dark Arts groups?” Sirius said slyly.  
“How did you know?” the three gasped.  
“Mundungus overheard you, he was the witch in the veil.”  
“How did he?” wondered Hermione  
“The space was nearly empty only you guys and a couple of other people, of course you were going to be overheard.” he lightly scoffed  
“Well, it was better than the three broomsticks right?” pressed Hermione. “That place is always crowded.”  
“Which is why you wouldn’t have been overheard. You’re smart Hermione, but you still have a lot to learn.” As they quartet talked in the common room, about the group and where they could meet, something was at the back of Ron’s mind and he struggled to remember it.  
“Wait.”he said at last, “Was Elric supposed to be there?” The three turned to Sirius who, to their dismay, frowned.  
“No, as far as I know, he isn’t even an Order member yet. He-” but at that instant, Sirius left, and the sight they beheld sent the trio running. There was a hand in the fire, grabbing where Sirius’s head had been.  
LINEBREAK  
Ed grumbled to himself. That stupid Fuhrer bastard. Making him stand outside in this weather, at night. Did he not know that Ed had automail? How would he like it if he had automail? “I should rip his arm off, see how he likes it.” he mocked under his breath.  
He, the headmaster, and the deputy headmistress, were standing by the lake waiting for Mustang to arrive. he was to arrive by carriage, Hawkeye would come as his escort, then Ed would take over bodyguard duty. The assessment would take place the next day during classes and Minerva and Dumbledore would take turn covering his morning classes, because then there would be less of a chance of someone coming onto the grounds and seeing the assessment take place. He hoped none of them would damage his classes outlook on Alchemy permanently.   
As a carriage came into view, Ed wondered if the two could see the thestrals, then he started beating himself up because obviously they could. They were in the war of Ishval for fuck’s sake.  
The carriage stopped a few paces in front of them and both of them got out.   
“Sir!” Ed saluted.  
“At ease Fullmetal.” Replied Roy walking towards the Hogwarts Professors as Riza and Ed exchanged salutes. “Hello Headmaster Dumbledore, Professor Mcgonagall.” He shook their hands, “Lovely to see you again.”  
“Sir!” saluted Riza, “I will return in a day for you. I am passing down my duties to Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist.”  
“I will ensure that bastard Fuhrer-” he coughed under Riza’s glare “I mean Roy Mustang does not come to harm under my watch.” He saluted.  
“You’re lucky too many people would notice you missing,” growled Roy at his unruly subordinate. All of them stood in silence as the carriage faded into the distance, as soon as it was out of view, Mustang turned and said to the headmaster, “Very well then, should we head to your office? I understood from your letter that there was something you wished to speak of and tonight is better than tomorrow.”  
“Yes, of course, come along,” the headmaster lead them to his study and after saying the password, he invited them inside.  
“Draw up a chair” he said with a smile after pulling one from thin air.  
“Don’t mind if I do.” said Roy as he sat down with Ed right at his shoulder.   
“Firewhiskey?” Asked Dumbledore as he conjured glasses for everyone.  
“No thank you.” politely refused Mustang.  
“Edward?”  
“No thank you.” The drink might be spiked, and anyways he wanted his wits about him.  
“Very well.” Dumbledore steepled his fingers on his desk. “We have a proposition for you. As I am quite sure you know, I represent the light side in the war against Voldemort. I am also the head of a group organized for the sole purpose of fighting him. I would like to know if you would join.”  
“By you, do you mean me, Fullmetal, or Amestris?” retorted Mustang.  
“I beg your pardon.”  
“Your spy, no, your informant was not exactly subtle.” smirked Mustang “All it took was a photo and asking a secretary, his records are still in the muggle world you know, it wasn’t too hard to find him after that.”  
“How did you know?”   
“Tourists asking about the Elric brothers are a dime a dozen, but actually looking for them? That merited investigation.” There was a tense silence in the room.   
“I suppose there was a better way to go about it, wasn’t there?” sighed Dumbledore at last.  
“Yes, not that it matters now. So, what do you want?”  
“I would like young Edwards support, and yours as well if the time comes for it. I would also like Edward to stay with Harry Potter during the christmas break.”  
“Oh? And why is that? I doubt his family would appreciate a stranger staying with them during christmas time, besides, you probably secured the place he stays at ages ago, so why do you really want my subordinate?”  
“I-” Dumbledore hesitated looking Edward who was just staring ahead impassively, “I was hoping for a positive answer to the invitation, the boy will spend christmas in the hideout, by being there Edward could both be an active member, and guard Harry.”  
“No offense, Headmaster, but Potter has expressed extreme reluctance to be in my presence, I highly doubt your proposition would go over well.” Ed stated.  
“He is still growing and needs to figure out his path. If he stumbles along the way, we can only hope he does what’s right.   
“Or you could slap some sense into him.” muttered Ed under his breath so that only Mustang could hear.  
“Please, give him another chance.” continued Dumbledore. “In the light of Voldemort’s return, everyone needs to stick together.”  
“How dangerous is Voldemort?” asked Mustang.  
“He is a very powerful wizard with many followers. He is the most evil Wizard to have ever existed.”  
“ What is his goal?”  
“Goal?”  
“Yes, all villains have goals. Is he trying to get revenge? Is he aiming for world domination? Is he upset that his crush wouldn’t go out with him? Does he just enjoy killing? What is his motive?”  
“He wishes to purge to world of non-magicals.”  
“What are areas that he affects?”  
“London mostly, generally Europe.”  
“How long has he been after this goal?”  
“Around ten years.”  
“Is there something he’s waiting for?” Frowned Mustang.  
“Excuse me?”   
“Well he’s had ample time for killing, if he hasn’t taken over everything or killed everyone yet, he’s either inefficient or he’s waiting for something.” replied Mustang  
“His followers have done unspeakable things, he has killed thousands.”  
“I see” But, thought Mustang, if we go by how many we state alchemists can kill in war, that’s not really much.  
“Would you help us?”  
“Personally, I can not as I have a country to run.”  
“Would you lend us your support?” asked Dumbledore tentatively “it would benefit you immensely I promise you.”  
“Do tell.”  
“You will have wizards in your debt, and wizards never forget debts we will be bound to you by that. If you aid us, we will aid you.”   
“Hmm, I will consider these propositions, for now,” Mustang said as he stood up, “My subordinate and I will retire, good night.”  
And he strode out of the room as if he owned the place with Ed opening and closing the door for him. Leaving both Professors to wonder, how did he know where to go?


	34. 34

“Uh, Mustang?” Ed asked after they walked down a few corridors  
“Yes Elric?” Roy turned to spare him a glance  
“How do you know which way to go?”  
“I don’t, I’m waiting for you to lead” admitted Mustang.  
“Oh, you’re actually going the right way,” said the slightly startled Alchemist “Take a left two corridors down and we’ll be at my room.”  
“Ok.”  
They walked on in silence until they reached Ed’s room and Ed realized something.   
“Hold on a second, this is my room. There’s only one bed. I sure as hell am not sleeping with you!” He continued to rant his superior’s pervy ways and if he tried anything with him, then so help him he was going to tie him up until Riza came again. When said bastard interrupted him.  
“Fullmetal” sighed Roy, “Are you an alchemist or are you not?”  
“Oh right, good point.” blushed Ed. He made Mustang a bed on the other side of the room and he briefly considered locking Mustang in the classroom or office but quickly went against it because what if the bastard just burned down the door. Instead he just made itty bitty bumps on the frame so that he wouldn’t feel it, but as he slept he would get sore. Being an alchemist truly was the greatest joy in life. He didn’t need a stupid stick like these wizards. Though he fiercely avoided thinking about why he didn’t need even chalk.  
“Fullmetal.” Roy said interrupting Ed’s slightly bad train of thoughts.   
“Yeah?”   
“What do you think about the man’s propositions?”  
“The membership one is a load of shit, and I don’t want to be near these shits for christmas.” He said flatly  
“I thought as much” sighed Roy. “Fullmetal, I hate to do this to you, but I need you to at least stay in London for the break.”  
“What!” exploded Ed, “No! Absolutely not! No fucking way! I refuse! I will not stay in the same house or hide out or whatever the fuck it is with a whole bunch of wand waving fuckers alright! I am going back to Resembool for Christmas and spending it with family!”  
“Edward!” half shouted Roy with his head in his hands. “Please notice I said in London, not with them.”  
“Oh.” Ed finally realized what that meant.   
“Besides, I’m sure Alphonse will enjoy himself in London. ” Roy smirked.  
“You are such a bastard Mustang” groaned Ed as he flopped on to his bed.  
“Maybe, but you are the one who put mini spikes in my bed” The flame retorted as he fixed his bed.  
“Fuck you”  
“It’s one or the other Fullmetal,” Roy paused to refrain from adding the original end to his statement. “Pick your poison.”  
“I pick the one that lets me go home sooner” grumbled Ed   
“The apartment’s coming out of your budget.”   
“Fuck you”  
“I believe the phrase you were looking for is thank you.”  
“And I believe you are the best man in the whole world” Ed said laying the sarcasm on thick.  
“Thank you, I try.” replied Roy.  
LINEBREAK(I had so many more quips left but they wouldn’t fit context wise and stuff.P.s Ed isn’t blushing like ‘senpai noticed me’, but like ‘Fuck you I knew that’)  
In the morning, Ed gave his lesson plan for the day to Mcgonagall, who would pass them on to Dumbledore.   
“You want them to draw shapes?” she asked arching her eyebrow at him.  
“Yes, drawing perfect shapes is fundamental to learning Alchemy.” He replied with his straightest face, “Have them practice until it’s perfect, I sincerely doubt that will happen today, so you just have to make sure they do not use a straight edge” He shrugged, “You can even grade papers.” He walked off to the pitch to prepare for his examination, remembering how he had instructed his students to not let anything slip about Alchemy to anyone. He hadn’t really taught any of them much, so there wasn’t much to slip.  
He ran around the pitch a couple of times to loosen up. Something was nagging him in the back of his mind, but he was sure it was nothing.   
LINEBREAK  
“It’s kind of nice having a free period first thing, isn’t it?” asked Ron as he stretched out in the courtyard.  
“Yeah” agreed Harry as both boys turned to look, with a bit of fear, at the girl beside them.  
“More time for studying” she said without her usual enthusiasm and making no move to pick up her books. Both boys sighed.  
“Look Hermione,-”  
“Try to keep up Elric!”  
“I should say that to you!” A laugh. Was that the Alchemy teacher?  
“Is that why he kicked everyone out? To skip out on teaching?” Hermione, though not as bitter as she had been before, was still quite peeved about her failure in Alchemy. As she rose to her feet, Ron and Harry exchanged looks.  
All three peeked behind a pillar and saw a strange sight. The Alchemy teacher was running around the Quidditch Pitch with a rather attractive young black haired man.   
“Eat my dust Mustang!” The heard the teacher yell as he ran in front of the man.  
“Mustang?” whispered Hermione.  
“Have you heard of him Hermione?” asked Ron.  
“He was on the telly once wasn’t he?” asked Harry “I can’t remember what for though.”  
“Neither can I, but I’m pretty sure it was for some kind of political situation” said Hermione furrowing her brow. “I’m going to write to my parents, maybe they know.”  
As the trio went back inside, they saw the two men talking.   
When they closed the door, the assessment had begun, and they narrowly missed the crackle of alchemic light.


	35. 35

“Hey Elric, mind if I join your jog?” Roy called out  
“Don’t tire yourself out old man!”  
“Try to keep up Elric!” He smirked as he quickly matched his subordinate's pace.  
“I should be saying that to you!” Ed laughed “Eat my dust Mustang!” He screamed as he raced ahead.  
The two man ran neck and neck around the pitch until they reached the point where they started and both tried to jump ahead, only to cross at the same time.  
“Not bad for an old man.” grinned Ed.  
“Not bad for a shrimp” smirked Mustang.  
“Fuck off, I’m not short anymore.”  
“A shame, I’ve rather missed your outbursts.”  
“Whatever” Ed looked away, “Are we going to do this or what?”  
“Very well, we will each take ten paces away, and on the count of three, we will begin.”  
“Fair enough.”  
“One”  
“Two”  
“Three”  
“Four”  
“Five”  
“Six”  
“Seven”  
“Eight”  
“Nine”  
“Ten”  
“Turn”  
“One” Ed claps and Roy tightens his gloves.  
“Two  
“Three!” A series of stone spikes headed for the ebony haired man  
“Tch” Mustang snapped his fingers and a torrent of flame headed for the golden-haired man’s attack.  
Edward clapped and blocked the fire with a wall while creating spikes to stab at the man.  
Mustang jumped out of the way sending more waves of flames destroying both the wall and spikes, he searched the smoke for his opponent making sure to keep his ears open.  
Ed used the cover of the smoke to run further away and as the smoke started to clear, he made a dome to surround the Flame and, creating steps, he ran to the top and looked down at his superior. “It appears I win” he said cockily.  
“Very nice” Roy smirked condescendingly looking up at him, “But you forgot one thing.” He clapped “I also know Truth!”   
“Shit.”  
Using the stone his subordinate had ever so graciously left for his use, Roy launched him into the air and created a pillar to shoot himself up and out of the dome.   
As Ed flew into the air he cursed himself for not remembering. As he came down, he saw a hand of stone reaching for him and, realizing what Mustang was doing, turned in mid air so that the hand did not grab him, but let him run towards the ground.  
Roy saw what Elric was trying to do. He made more hands shoot out of the big one, trying to catch the man, but he still moved like a monkey dodging them all. Until the last one, instead of grabbing for him, the hand pushed into another that was waiting.   
As Edward fell through the air, he clapped, and touching the ground while tumbling into the hand, he transmuted a pillar to go through the hand, stopping Mustang’s control over it. He then rode the pillar a bit away until Mustang shot it down.  
Now that Elric was on the ground, Roy could fire at him with less chance of being seen. As he blasted the pillar down, he prepared another shot, then clapped and created a pillar on which he rode towards Elric.  
Ed flipped away from the oncoming fire, when he looked up, Mustang was coming towards him on his own pillar. He clapped and created spikes to break up the pillar while creating a wall that stretched out on either side of him so that Mustang would have to chose which side to chase.  
Roy saw what Elric was doing, and he didn’t feel like playing his game, so he just launched himself onto the wall to see where the man had gone.   
Seeing his plan had backfired, Ed did the only logical thing, he made a bunch of small stone hands which grabbed onto Mustang’s arms and legs and held him suspended in midair.  
Roy tried to move his legs and found that the most he could do was wiggle and rotate his wrists. He was about to snap towards the ground in hopes that he would hit the bases of the hands and be able to move, when knives were hurled at his hands.  
Ed made sure that Mustang couldn’t move much before coming up on a pillar. Just as he was about to declare his victory, he saw Mustang twisting his hands towards the ground, and grabbing his throwing knives, he threw them so that they would cut his gloves.  
‘Well fuck.” whispered Roy as he stared at his hands.  
“Do I win yet?” smirked Ed, at the same time making sure he had a clear way to backflip away in case Mustang had something else to use against him.  
“Tch,” He really did not want to let the brat know that he had him beat. “Fine, you have won. Now let me down Fullmetal!”  
“Whatever you say bastard.” Ed said as he let Mustang down and surveyed the damage they had done. He sighed. “We’re both going to have to clean this up.”  
“I can’t” smirked Roy, “I’m injured” he held up his hands which had very little scratches on them.  
Ed gave him a look. Then he clapped and placed his hands on Mustangs, after a flash of Alchemic light, his hands were healed. “Now you have no excuse.” he flatlined as he went to go fix some pillars and spikes.  
Roy sighed as he also began to fix their battleground. As he walked towards the edges to fix a pole that had scorch marks, he looked up and noticed hoops on it. “Hey Fullmetal, why are there hoops so high up?”  
“They play a sport called Quidditch here” called out Fullmetal from where he was deconstructing his dome, “They fly around on brooms, those are the goal posts.”  
“Broomsticks huh?” Roy glanced at Fullmetal, maybe if he could persuade him to fly a broom, he would be able to make more and they could bring flying brooms into the army.  
“I’m not doing it.” He was jostled out of his thoughts.  
“What?”  
“I know what you’re thinking Mustang, and I’m not doing it. Not even if you got on your knees and said please.”  
“I can never win with you, can I Fullmetal?”  
“Nope.”  
The two men kept on fixing the pitch in comfortable silence. As they walked away from the pitch, Mustang suddenly stopped.  
“What is it?” asked Ed in a tense whisper standing alert.  
“Dog.” Roy starred off towards the side of the pitch.  
“Huh?”  
“Dog!” Roy ran off towards the place he had been staring towards, the dog didn’t stand a chance. Roy scooped it up into his arms. It whined frantically trying to get away.   
“Mustang!” Ed ran towards his superior. “Al with his cats and you with dogs.” he muttered once he caught sight of the Flame Alchemist.  
“Oh be quiet Elric.” Roy snapped as he began to praise the loyalty and obedience of dogs.  
LINEBREAK  
“Make sure not be seen he said. Don’t make contact with Harry he said. Watch the fight he said. Fuck you I said” Sirius stood near the Quidditch stands in human form. He had asked for a mission, but he didn’t want this ugh, what fun was it to watch two men run around a pitch. Oh look, there was Harry, in the courtyards, and he wasn’t there. Fuck Dumbledore, fuck everything. Okay, maybe not fuck Dumbledore, but still.   
The two men were standing back to back, okay now they were walking away, turning, where did those spikes come from? Where were the mens wands?  
The black haired one snapped and fire came out of his hands?  
Did he just blast a wall into smithereens?  
Where did that dome come out of?  
How was he running fast enough to climb it?  
Where are the hands coming from?  
How is he conjuring a pillar?  
Did he just get slammed into stone and not get knocked unconscious?  
How was he making that pillar?  
How did he make the spikes?  
How did he make a wall?  
Where were the hands coming from?  
Where did he get the knives? Why was he throwing the knives? Did he miss?  
Why didn’t he make more pillars or tried to get down by himself? Did he lose his wand? No, neither of them had wands.   
Why were they holding hands?  
Were they a couple? Wait, if they were a couple why were they fighting on such a scale? Didn’t Dumbledore say it was an assessment? Why were they fighting? Why didn’t they use spells? Were they even using magic? Could all muggles do this?  
They were fixing their mess, why did they keep clapping? Actually, they only clapped once or twice. Maybe it was a signal? Did they know he was there? No problem, he could deal with them, he’s dealt with Death Eaters before, he could do this. They were leaving now, he would have to go back to headquarters soon, why couldn’t they have fought longer? He sighed and shifted into a dog, walking a bit out of the shadows. They stopped walking, why?  
The older one was running towards him, was he...? Oh no, oh Merlin no. He had barely taken a step to run away when the man descended on him. He squirmed trying to get away.   
“Mustang!” yelled the blond one. Yes, save me, thought Sirius. “Al with his cats and you with dogs.”  
Who was Al?  
“Oh be quiet Elric.” snapped the one holding him. He spiralled into a monologue about dogs that Sirius tuned out.  
Wait, Elric? As in the jerk who had banned his godson from Alchemy? He growled at the man whom seemed to sense his hostility and shifted uneasily. Sirius then noticed that the man’s arm was conveniently within his reach. True, it was hidden beneath a coat sleeve, but what was a coat sleeve to a dog’s teeth? He grinned to himself and saw that the man hadn’t noticed, too bad. Without further ado, he bit the alchemists arm.


	36. 36

There were a great many things that Sirius regretted in his life. That pumpkin pasty he never got to eat, the marble that rolled down the sewer, the missed pun opportunities, switching places with Peter, and not being there for Harry. All those regrets were by fault of his human form, his dog form didn’t have any regrets. Until today.

“What is it pooch? Can’t get a good taste?” Elric smirked. Jerk. His teeth hurt so much. By Merlin, what had he done to deserve this? No one told him this asshole had a fake arm. Suddenly he saw stars, oh look, there was Sirius. “Let go already won’t you?”

“Now Elric, that’s no way to treat a dog.” scolded his captor. You’re not setting the best example either, Sirius thought as he caught sight of a gleam of metal.

“Fuck off Mustang, He bit me” scowled Elric as he fixed his coat. You deserved to get bitten, Sirius mentally replied, showing up out of nowhere and insulting my pup, he huffed. “Let’s go back inside before the students get out, or else you’ll be seen.”

“Well we certainly can’t distract the female students now can we?” smirked Mustang. “I suppose I can’t bring the dog?” Oh Merlin please no.

“Are you kidding? It tried to bite me!” howled Elric.

Mustang sighed as he put him down, “Very well, goodbye then, you beautiful dog.” Sirius ran into the forest trying to put as much distance as possible between him and the two freaks.

_**LINEBREAK** _

“Ah Sirius, how are you?”

“I’m fine thank you, and yourself?” He replied as he flopped onto a chair.

“As well as I can hope to be.” Albus sat forward, “So, how was the show?”

Sirius sighed, “To be honest with you, I don’t know what to make of it.”

“Please do tell.” Albus leaned forward.

“They didn’t use wands,” murmured Sirius holding his face in his hands, “They don’t use wands but they transfigure the earth in a way that can’t be anything but magic. I didn’t know Alchemy could do that.”

“Well alchemy is an art,” smiled Albus, “What else did you see?”

“The visitor shot fire out of his hands at one point.”

“An _incendio_?”

“No, he didn’t say the incantation, or have a wand. He just help out his hand and boom.”

“I see... is that it?”

“Yes.” Sirius stood up to leave, “Actually, Elric has a fake arm.” He said turning back around.

“What?” Remus’ report snapped to the front of his mind, ‘He has automail limbs’.

“His arm is made of some strong material, most likely metal, it looked metallic at least.”

“And how would you know?”

“His uh coat ripped” Better to not let him know. “Is that so?”

“Yeah, and I saw it before he fixed”

“Very well, thank you for your report Sirius.”

“You’re welcome headmaster.” Then he vanished into the emerald flames.

**_ LINEBREAK _ **

“Oh how sad, we shall have to part now.”

“Truly, this is the deepest sorrow Edward.” Fake sobbed Roy, “How can I live without you!?”

“You’re right” Ed replied clutching onto him and also fake sobbing, “I can only hope we will be reunited soon!”

“I’ll have Alphonse send you the flat information and Fuery will meet you at the train station, just tell Alphonse what day” Roy whispered quickly and quietly under his breath as Edward fake sobbed loudly.

“Alright sirs, His Excellency has to go back now.” sighed Hawkeye.

“Goodbye! Goodbye!” Ed cried waving a handkerchief as Roy climbed into the carriage.

“Nice one Fullmetal! I give you a B!” Yelled Roy out of the window.

“Fuck you Bastard! I deserve an A!” Yelled Ed as the carriage rolled into the mist and all he could hear, was Mustang’s laughter.

**_ LINEBREAK _ **

“So Hermione, what did your parents say?” asked Harry after the owl post arrived.

“Let’s see,” she took the envelope from the school owl and unrolled it. Her face went white and she dropped the paper, thankfully, she had been eating pancakes and not something wet.

“Hermione?” Ron paused while eating and swallowed his mouthful, “What’s wrong?”

“He’s...he’s” she whispered and then let out a squeak when she caught sight of the Alchemy teacher.

“What is it?”

“Courtyard.” she managed to say before running out of the hall.

The two boys looked at each other in confusion before springing up to chase after her, Ron sadly abandoning his food.

“So?” asked Harry as they stopped near a beech tree.

Hermione looked both ways before motioning for both of them to lean in closer, “He’s the Fuhrer.” she whispered.

“No way.” mouthed Harry, covering his mouth.

“What’s a Fuhrer?” Ron asked blankly.

“Honestly Ron,” sighed Hermione, “Fuhrer is another word for leader. He’s basically the king.”

“The king!” shouted Ron. Harry and Hermione both shushed him. “The king!” he said again in a hushed whisper.

“Yes though I can’t imagine why a king would be here. The Amestrian one no less.”

“Why do you say that?” asked Harry

“Amestris is a country that’s really big on war. No one really knows much about it because all of its surrounding countries hate it.”

“So why would the king be here?”

“Maybe..” muttered Ron

“What?” both rounded on him.

“It’s only a hunch mind you, but maybe Dumbledore’s trying to make allies before Voldemort can get to them.”

“So why was it all hush-hush?” asked Hermione

“He’s the king, he probably didn’t want to be seen outside of his country without good reason.” shrugged Harry.

“Guys,” asked Ron, “How did he get past the anti-muggle barrier?”

LINEBREAK

“So, what will you do, Edward Elric?”

“I’ll stay in London for the break. After the school year, I’m gone.”

“Of course.” Like a grandfather to his grandson, Albus Dumbledore, smiled indulgently.

 _We’ll see who the second rate is,_ the words he had once said to another self-righteous old man, still applied.


	37. Reports are in and a Quidditch match is played

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is anyone even reading this?

_The Fullmetal Alchemist has demonstrated his battle proficiency once more. His research is going well. His reports are on time. Edward Elric is hereby cleared to continue in the Military program._

_Signed,_

_Roy Mustang, Fuhrer_

**_ LINEBREAK _ **

_Confidential Report:_

_The teacher, Edward Elric, is not a threat. His loyalties are unknown. His subject is no more fearsome than Charms. He is cooperative with the M.O.M. Edward Elric is cleared to continue teaching._

_Signed,_

_Dolores Jane Umbridge High Inquisitor of Hogwarts_

Public Report:

Professor Edward Elric is a good teacher, he does not tell lies to his students. Reassures them they are in a safe and Ministry approved environment. Subject is useful for long term use. Punishes troublemakers in an efficient manner. Edward Elric receives an A.

Signed,

Dolores Jane Umbridge High Inquisitor of Hogwarts

_**LINEBREAK** _

Edward sighed. It seemed his act had helped. The ministry bitch had given him a good grade.

“Dog of the Military right?” he sighed, “At least my superiors aren’t idiots. I don’t know if I could handle it if Mustang was as sad a leader as this candyman. But then, I guess Armstrong would have taken over if he was.” He suppressed a shudder as he considered working under her. Armstrongs intense distaste for everyone, or Mustangs creepy like of dogs. Dogs, that dog from yesterday was kinda weird. He was thankful it didn’t jump on him, but why did it bite him?

It also made weird sounds, as if it was trying to talk. If it had talked, he didn’t know what he would’ve done. Mustang would’ve probably reminded him that he was in a magical environment and it was possible they had just stumbled upon a talking dog. This was a magic school with an old man who thought he was the shit. Nothing was just by coincidence. Wait, what if the dog was there as a spy... no, that’s ridiculous, animal’s can’t understand humans, unless they were a chimera.. or an animagus.

It made sense, the dog seemed to be making expressions, probably in response to what it overheard. The biting him made sense too, if they were in anyway associated to Mr.Beard himself, they probably didn’t like him and thought this was the best chance at revenge. At least they bit the automail arm.

They bit the automail arm.

Fuck he was screwed. How would he handle this? They knew he had automail! Not just anyone had automail! That was a lie, people with no limbs had automail. He could just feed them the same excuse he fed everyone. Civil war, there was no need to tell them about the human transmutation. No need at all.

_**LINEBREAK** _

Over the next two weeks, things went smoothly for Ed. Thomas was able to finally draw a perfect circle four out of five times, Longbottom followed, with Myers succeeding the next class. They had all been able to draw their primary circles, now came the actually science that had been put on hold in case the Ministry Representative decided to barge in. Thankfully, she never did, and eventually Ed decided to just go ahead. Today they were learning about Noble Gases.

“The six noble gases are, krypton, neon, argon, radon, and helium. They occur naturally and are not as reactive as other elements.” As Ed lectured his students about the elements, he let his mind wander, the other night, he had seen strange shapes flying around outside, being mildly confused, he opened the window and seen figures riding on broomsticks. He had read about Quidditch, and knew they flew for it, but seeing it was still surreal. How did brooms hold up humans? Was there a weight limit? Some things he would never know.

**_ LINEBREAK _ **

“Professor Elric.”

“Yes?” Act natural, don’t let them know you know they know you have automail.

“Surely, you are going to the quidditch game.” inquired Minerva.

“Uh what?”

“Quidditch, sir, Quidditch.”

“I hadn’t intended to.”

“Well you should, it’s Gryffindor versus Slytherin.”

“Maybe I will.” He waved her off and went to the kitchen.

After a satisfying breakfast, Edward decided he could stall no longer, and went to his room for his coat. He hesitated before grabbing his modified gloves, he was near wizards after all, and if they expected him to do ‘magic’, he would at least not have to clap. These gloves had a circle on each finger and spread out along the palm. He also had chalk in his pocket. He was ready.

When Ed reached the pitch, he thought he heard singing. This puzzled him because in all the books that he had read, not a single one named singing as a part of Quidditch. What were they even singing? The game hadn’t even started, seemed he didn’t stall long enough. He saw the crowd of teachers and went to go sit by them.

“I see you’ve made it.” said Minerva.

“Yeah, I was curious.”

“Which team are you supporting?” asked Severus.

“Uhm I’m going neutral.” Hopefully they would leave him alone. Great, they did.

Both teams came out and flew into the air. The kid near the teachers began to announce the players and moves. At one point, he mentioned the song, and the singing rose, and Ed was disgusted. The announcer began to scream trying to drown out the sounds, but it wasn’t working as well as it should’ve. Minerva gaped at the stands. Severus looked surprised, then schooled his face to impassive. The toad in the seats in front of him smiled at the game. Ed tore his mind away from plans of murder and decided to  help the kid.

Ed whipped out his notebook and began doing calculations. One goal had gotten past, no doubt because the kid was listening to the song. The song was even louder now, he had to redo his calculations. One more goal, finally, the calculations were finished. Ed drew the array on another sheet of paper and activated it.

“-AND KATIE BELL OF GRYFFINDOR DODGES PUECY” The boys voice grew immensly louder, it drowned out the singing now, and Ed noticed something else, there were panicked screams in the crowd. The singing had started sounding wobbly, it’s strength was dying. One look at the pitch told him why.

 


	38. Quidditch match

She knew it was going to happen. It was all that Draco and his crew talked about. The song they would sing to distract Weasley in the Quidditch match. Was it a good plan? She had to agree, distract him and he wouldn’t play as well, not exactly clean, but still a strategy. Although, she privately thought it would just encourage Wonder Boy to find the snitch faster, she still helped in the process by not saying anything.

Then, she became friendly with Dean Thomas and Neville Longbottom. They were nice. Though that didn’t really make her mind her house’s strategy. It was what they told her, and what she observed, and her empathetic nature. Ron Weasley had never been special. He was always last. Always second best, this was the only thing he could do that no one else overshadowed him in. She knew how that felt. She also saw how he acted whenever her housemates teased him. That might’ve made her tell, what made her act, was that fact that even though they had a cruel surprise in store, her housemates cursed the other team endlessly. Not fair.

***two weeks prior***

“Aterus!” Her hair did seem a bit lighter, not much, but it was a start, she still had time.

*ten days prior*

“Expelliarmus!” she hit her target. She repeated the spell and the exercise over and over. Nine out of ten, she hit the target.

“Jade? What’re you doing here?” She got caught.

Well, her house had said they didn’t mind as long as the house still seemed united. She would still look united, mostly.

***two days prior***

She walked up to Shelly, “Hey I have a favor to ask.”

“What is it?” asked her friend dryly looking up only briefly from her book.

“I need a pair of your robes.”

“What.”

“I need your robes.”

“I know you dislike sports, but I never imagined you’d go this far.”

“It’s complicated.”

“Is this for a valid reason.”

“Yes.”

“Give me a minute.” Shelly got up and walked out of the library, returning with a spare set of yellow robes. “If you lose or stain them, I’ll kill you.”

“Terrifying, you’ll have them back in a week at most.”

“I better.”

Part one, not without bumps, but at least her boat hadn’t capsized. She prayed for smoothish sailing.

**_ LINEBREAK _ **

“I’ll see you later. Make sure to win!” she smiled and laughed as her housemates left the common room. It wasn’t uncommon for her not to go to Quidditch games. She wouldn’t arouse suspicion.

After a few corridors, she cast the spell to make her hair lighter, “Aterus!”, donned Shelly’s robe, and styled her hair in a high ponytail. It wasn’t the best disguise, but it would at least give her some cover. She saw her helpers in chaos near the agreed upon spot.

“You can still back out.” she offered.

“No we’re in it for the long haul.” said Neville and Dean nodded in agreement.

“Gryffindors” sighed Jade, though all three could tell she didn’t mean it in a bad way. “We need to give you guys some sort of disguise, hmm, take off your robes” she commanded. “Take off everything that shows your house actually, would’ve been better if you had gotten fake uniforms, but oh well.”

After the boys complied and did other things, such as give Dean glasses, and Neville jewelry and a wig. Only then were they fit for the ambush.

“Well boys! Lets start swinging!” They each went to find a random window that they could snipe out of.

Jade found hers first, having been scoping for a while, and she reached it around the time of the second goal. She had forgotten to check whether or not the windows actually opened. After a few minutes of wrestling, she found they did, and took the first shots. Silencios rained on her housemates, but not enough to make a difference.

Dean found his window around the time Jade had taken the first few shots. He often used this window when trying to sketch, and so he knew it had a good view of the pitch. He saw the Silencios not having much success, and deciding why not, he let loose a few Incendios on the pitch. Which caused a bit of panic and had a chance of creating mass panic, but oh well.

Neville found his by the time there was bit of panicking, nothing major. He noticed something. It seemed the Slytherins were being conducted by Pansy Parkinson, she was keeping time. Granny had taught him enough about music for him to know, the only way for them to stop being in time so well, was to take her out. Silencing was out, conducting did not require a voice. Fire so close to the stands would escalate, he had one option left. “Locomotor Mortis” the spell caught the girl in the back and she toppled over.

The result was instant. The ones closest to the girl rushed to help her. The song wavered and everyone was looking around in confusion. Suddenly Lee Jordan’s voice could be heard even by the trio in the castle.

“AND POTTER’S CAUGHT THE SNITCH!”

“Work here’s done isn’t it?” and the three ran their separate ways to not look suspicious.

 


	39. Friendship?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a sappy moment, sorry

After the match, everyone was running around trying to solve the chaos that had erupted. As Harry landed, he looked around. The place was in a frenzy over the win, and the attack.  The pitch was on fire in some areas. The stands had several people cursed, (oddly they were all Slytherins), and Pansy Parkinson had been hit with a full bodybind.

“Well Pot-” as Harry turned around, he saw a bulger fly at Malfoys head and knock him out. Out of instinct he caught him, and set him on the grass. The bulger seemed to have come from Crabbe who was currently getting chewed out by Madam Hooch.

“Are you alright!” cried Angelina as she landed near him.

“Yeah I’m fine, Malfoy isn’t though, the bulger caught him right in the back of his head. He’ll be knocked out for a bit.” He shrugged and walked with her towards the rest of the team who were headed to the changing rooms. Someone else would deal with the ferret.

Once they were inside the room, Angelina congratulated everyone on their performance, and the team soon trickled out. Except for Ron. Harry decided to wait for him and sat down on a bench to wait, taking out a book to read a bit.

After ten minutes, the water in the showers turned off, after fifteen, Ron had still not come out. Just when Harry was about to go in and drag him out, the door creaked open and the sopping redhead dragged himself through the door, stopping dead when he saw Harry sitting there.

“Hey”

“Hey Harry.” Ron grabbed his things, moving as if he had lead for blood, then sat down next to him. Neither boy said anything. Just as Harry opened his mouth, his friend spoke. “I’m sorry.”

“What?” Harry had not expected that.

“I’m sorry, I failed everyone. I don’t know what I was thinking. How could I play Quidditch?”

“Ron-”

“It’s ok Harry. I- I should’ve known better.” Harry could clearly hear that Ron was struggling not to cry. He kept quiet letting him pour out his feelings. “I’m not that good at a lot of stuff. I’m not that smart. Or funny, or-or anything really.” There were tears trickling down Ron’s face, but Harry let him continue. “I don’t even know why I’m your friend. I-I’m not- I’m not good enough. I’m sorry.” Harry watched as his friend started crying and after a few seconds, he realized Ron fully expected him to leave.

“No.” Harry got up, and even though both of them weren’t really touchy-feely, gave him a hug. “You’re my friend Ron, not even, you’re my best friend.” He felt his friend tense, and held on tighter. “I don’t know what I would do without you. Remember first year? I would’ve died in the chess chamber without you. In second year, you rescued me from the Dursleys. Third year” His voiced started cracking now, “You got up on a broken leg to defend me. You would’ve died for me.” Both of them were crying now, and Ron started to hug back. “Last year, you were a huge prat in the beginning” Both of them laughed a bit, “But remember the riddle? We've taken what you'll sorely miss, I-I’d miss you so m-m-much.” Both grips tightened, “You’ve believed and supported me through this whole Voldemort thing, I wouldn’t trade you for anyone else.”

“Really?” It came out a whisper, in a voice that sounded so very scared.

“Yeah, really.”

“Thank you.”

They both sat there for a while, Harry was glad his reassurances helped his friend. Ron was glad he had Harry, He knew what he said was true, he really was good enough. Maybe his keeper skills needed some brushing up, but he would have his friends by his side to help him.

**_ LINEBREAK _ **

“Where have you two been?” asked Hermione the minute she saw them.

“Walking” they answered before sitting in the armchairs near the fire.

“Did this walking include falling into the snow and rolling in it?” she said with a raised eyebrow.

“A bit.”

“Honestly you two” she sighed with a smile. “Well I have news.”

“What?”

“Hagrids back.” she said simply as they stared at her in shock for a bit before scrabbling to get their cloaks and the map, she came down a few minutes after them, fully bundled up.

As they crept downstairs, they only passed Nearly Headless Nick who was humming something that they didn’t really hear, but to Harry sounded a bit like the horrid song the Slytherins had been singing.

As they walked through the snow, they all beamed at the sight before them, and ran towards the hut.

“Hagrid! Hagrid it’s us!” they yelled as they banged on the door. The yelps from inside told them Fang was there too.

“Hold on you three! I’m coming!” They could hear the smile in his voice and grinned.

When Hagrid opened the door, their grins slipped, and shocked silence filled the air.

 


	40. Hagrid is overwhelmed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ed and Hermione kinda duke it out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is anyone reading this?

As Ed stormed away from the pitch, he took a walk in the woods and thought about how things had gone. After he amplified the announcers voice, he turned to see the pitch in chaos. The teachers had all branched out to solve the chaos with Umbridge shrieking like a toddler. That was offensive actually, most toddlers didn’t scream that badly.

After he wandered off the pitch, he was drawn to the forest. It sort of looked like the island Teacher had dumped him and Al in. Well, he thought with a chuckle, England was an island was it not?

Ed spent the rest of the day transmuting different objects to make sure he had his Alchemy well oiled. He made hands and weapons with stones, worked on his plant alchemy, and even made a few small ice figures. He was careful that no one saw him, even though the dog animagus might have told everyone about his alchemy already.

The dark canopy of trees prevented him from seeing the sky, but when he felt it was late enough, he trekked back towards the castle.

When he finally reached the edge of the forest, he was barreled into and he fell on his side.

“No, not again.” he groaned as he tried to get the mound off of him. “Get off!”

“Oi! Back Fang!” shouted a voice. Was this possibly the dog from earlier? No, if it was an Animagus, it wouldn’t be treated like an animal, well maybe. The dog, for it was a dog, was lifted off of him and a giant man’s face came into view. “Who’re you? You’re not a student right?”

“No.” grumbled Ed “Who are you?”

“Groundskeeper.” the giant grunted. He was tall with a huge beard. His skin was tinged red, no black, no that was a black eye.

“Are you okay?” those bruises did not look friendly.

“I’m fine.” The man winced, or grinned, Ed couldn’t see clearly, but based on the bruises, it was probably a wince.

“You’re not fine. I know fine, and you are not it.”

“Bit harsh isn’t it?” The man made to enter the cottage.

“Do you want me to get the nurse?” asked Ed.

“No I’ll be fine.” The man opened the door and tried to close it in his face, but Ed slipped in. “Besides, I’d expect most in the castle to be asleep.”

“Do you want me to help you then?” Ed conceded to his logic.

“You’re a healer?” The surprise was evident in his tone. “Besides, magic won’t work on me.”

“No, but I’ve studied Medical Alchemy.” Although he was not that used to the term healer, he could guess it meant something like Doctor. “Why won’t magic work on you?”

“Are you the Alchemist from a different country?” Ed could tell this man was grasping at straws to avoid the ‘magic resistant’ thing, so he let it go.

“Yeah, you’ve heard of me?”

“Professor Dumbledore told me about you. Great man he is. I would’ve never imagined, there were still Alchemists around with it being a dead art, I imagine you must be one out of a few huh?”

“Uh...” Amestris was swarming with Alchemists. Did they even perform correct Alchemy? Although, looking at his classes, they were probably too simple to understand it. Best to lead the wizards on a false trail. Even if they probably already knew about all the Alchemists, damn spy. “Yeah, I am one of a few.” Partial truth, he is one of a couple of fews.

“Rubeus Hagrid, keeper of keys and grounds at Hogwarts.”

“Edward Elric, current Alchemy Teacher.”

“Could you show me some Alchemy?” The man looked a bit like Black Hayate when Breda wouldn’t give him some food.

“Only if you let me see to your wounds.” Ed compromised.

“Isn’t that kinda dangerous?”

“If you were internally bleeding or something, yes. For bruises and cuts, I only need to reconstruct the skin. Trust me, it barely stings, I’ve done it on myself before.”  There was a bit of silence while Hagrid mulled over the proposition. On one hand, he wouldn’t have to use the dragon steak he had and wait a long time to heal, on the other, he wasn’t too sure of the man’s skill.

“Let me see your skill, then I’ll make the call.” He said at last.

“Fair enough.” Ed conceded. He took out his chalk got a bit of his firewood, and drew a basic circle on the table. Then there was a flash of blue light.

Hagrid jumped up in shock. His chipped and battered tea set and table were now gleaming like new, and the log had disappeared

“What.” Hagrid could only stare at the young man.

“I used the basic principles, comprehension, deconstructing, and reconstructing.” Ed explained. “The reason I used the log was because if I hadn’t, your table would be weaker and smaller, with the log, I was able to fill in the cracks and the table remained sturdy as ever. The teacups are a bit more delicate because I had to use the materials already present.”

“Amazing.” whispered Hagrid, “You didn’t even use a wand.”

“Yeah but I have to use this circle, so drawing is essential to Alchemy.”

“Can you really..” Hagrid gestured to his face.

“Yeah.” Ed didn’t want to risk doing something wrong incase the circle smudged, so he made a show of clapping his hands and cracking his knuckles, he drew the circle after that, and Hagrid’s face looked good as new.

“Blimey, I don’t reckon you can do anything about ribs?” asked Hagrid absent mindedly as he looked at his face in the mirror.

“Ribs?”Just what had the man been getting up too?

“Uhm uh....” Hagrid panicked, he had not meant to say that.

“I won’t ask.” sighed Ed, “I’ll bind them for you.”

Just as he got up to make bandages and bind the man’s chest, there was a series of knocks at the door and shouts at Hagrid to let them in. The dog who had been chewing a bone, started yelping and knocked Ed down to get at the door. A large smile broke onto Hagrid’s face as he went to open the door. Ed faintly heard the door close as he tried to shove fang off.

“Hagrid!” he shouted, “Get your dog off of me!” He had learned long ago to not even try to best large dogs, it was best to just get help, pride be damned.

Hagrid helped to shove Fang off and calm him down enough for Ed to sit on a chair and Fang to just drool on his leg.

“So who was at the-” Ed cut himself off, “Shit.”

The trio were staring at him from door. He knew life didn’t like him.

“What are you doing here?” asked the frizzy haired witch.

“I work here.” replied Ed while scrubbing away the circles he had drawn. Hagrid clearly sensed the hostile air and attempted to intervene.

“I see you know each other.” He chuckled nervously. “Why don’t I make a pot of tea?” As he bustled around acting busy, a small showdown was going on behind his back.

Ed had an air of, you are beneath me go away. While the trio looked at him furiously because, he got there before them, and Hagrid seemed to like him. Hermione especially, was furious that he was hiding something from them. She had a right to know, she was the smartest wasn’t she? Well, she would leave it alone, for now. Right now, they would focus on Hagrid.

“So uh, how’re you doing in his class?” asked Hagrid as he handed them all tea. “Top grades Hermione?”

What a wrong thing to say.

“Actually,” cut in Ed, “They are not in my class.”

“Is it not for fifth years?” questioned the confused Hagrid.

“It is but they did not make the cut.”

“Why?”

“I have said this before, Alchemy is an art, if it falls in the wrong hands, people die. I am not going to be the one who lets it happen.”

“What makes you think we’re going to kill someone?”

“What makes me think you’re not going to kill someone?”

“So uh what’s the purpose of Alchemy?” interrupted Hagrid

“To create gold and the elixir of life.” Hermione responded promptly.

“Wrong.”

Silence.

“The alchemy you are familiar with is no more than foolish wand waving. Alchemy is a tool to help others. Alchemist be thou for the people. A novice could tell you how to create gold, and immortality does not exist.”

“In the library-!”

“The library is used by children, would they actually tell you facts? For all you know you are being brainwashed by books.”

More silence.

“Who wants rock cakes?” Hagrid nearly shouted.

Though normally they would have politely refused, Harry and Ron took it upon themselves to make a fuss about the cakes to distract the two who were trying to kill each other with glares.

There was a knock on the door. The trio vanished from sight, and Hagrid and Ed were left to face the storm alone.

 


	41. Chapter 41

“I didn’t sign up for this” groaned Ed.

“I don’t reckon anyone did” grinned Hagrid before he opened the door to a rude tone of voice coming from a ghastly toad.

“So, you’re Hagrid aren’t you?”

“Yes I am.” replied a slightly stunned Hagrid, “Who’re you.”

Ed caught sight of a flash of anger in the womans eyes and jumped to intervene.

“I am surprised at you Hagrid!” He exclaimed with a fake smile. “Surely you must have spent too much time in the sun to not remember her. This is Dolores Umbridge, the Defense against the Dark Arts professor!”

“Oh? Few people would take that position due to-” Hagrid caught on, thankfully, and also began the subtle complimenting of the hag.

“”You forget Professor Elric, I am also the High Inquisitor of Hogwarts.” simpered the toad.

“Of course, my apologies.” My apologies for not putting you out of your misery and killing you, he thought to himself.

“You were taking tea.” she said as she pointed to the five teacups.

“Y-Yeah.” Hagrid stuttered. He met Ed’s eyes, he wasn’t good under pressure. Thankfully, Ed was.

“Why are there five cups?” She turned to them.

“I was just going to show Hagrid a trick with Alchemy.” Improvised Ed, remembering too late that the trio was there.

“Oh?” Umbridge wasn’t that convinced. “Do show it to me dear.”

“Of course!” He smiled, call me dear one more time and I’ll show you your own guts Ed thought. Seeing no way out of the hole he dug for himself, he got out chalk from his pocket, and drew a circle. Activating it, he created a swan made of the ice that spiraled out of the teapot and cups. “Hagrid was telling me about his vacation in France. He saw a few of these and idly wondered if they could be made of tea and how it would look like if it did. I obliged.” He said both giving Hagrid a story and covering for him.

“So you were in France hm?” She asked turning to face Hagrid.

“Er... yeah,” he said. “I was in erm Paris, the sea side yep.”

“You don’t have much of a tan.”

“I erm got sick, so I had to stay inside”

“And why are you back so late?”

“Huh?” Ed wanted to smack himself, of course she would ask about his delay!

“There was a mixup.” Stuttered the man.

“Mix-up?” Clearly the toad did not believe the giant.

“Yeah, my ticket got switched and I ended up in spain.” Hagrid tried to laugh, but Ed thought it sounded like a squeak of terror crossed with a plea for help.

“Why didn’t you apparate back?”

“I uh wanted to do things the muggle way, experience is good you know?”

“Truly.” she said dryly.

There was a bit of tense silence.

“There were three sets of footprints coming towards your cabin.” She said swiftly as though trying to cut the air itself. “None going back.”

“Erm, that was me actually.” Ed said affecting a sheepish air.

“You?” she said looking at him as if looking for any extra sets of legs he might be hiding.

“Yeah, it’s something I like to do, create footsteps in the snow.” He improvised. “It’s a bit funny having people wonder where the person who made them went. I sometimes erase my own too so that it looks mysterious. I thought this house was abandoned so I decided why not do it to puzzle the students. Seems I was wrong.” He shrugged. “Would you like me to erase them?”

“If you would be so kind.”

As Ed trudged out to unmake the footsteps. He caught her saying she would inspect Hagrids class and to expect her soon. As she left, he gave her a smile while silently planning her death.

_**LINEBREAK** _

“That was extremely idiotic.” he said as soon as he trudged back in. “What kind of novice forgets to cover their prints?” The trio sat in silence looking at him warily. “You’re wizards for goodness sakes! A simple Tergeo would have done the trick!”

“Forgive us for being excited to see Hagrid” snapped Hermione.

“Apology not accepted” snipped Ed.

“What was that?” asked Harry.

“What?” Ed rounded on him, which to be honest, was terrifying for the young wizard, but he held his ground.

“That.” Harry pointed to the still ice swan.

“Alchemy.”

“No it wasn’t!” interrupted Hermione. “Alchemy requires a wand and you didn’t use one.”

“How would you know?”

“Because I didn’t see it.”

“How do you know you didn’t see it?”

“Because I would’ve remembered it!”

Back and forth went the alchemist and witch entertaining the other three until she stopped.

“How do you know they would’ve told you? How do you know they’re your friends?”

“I do.” she didn’t look sure.

“How?” Ed looked smug, but if Al were there, he would tell the others that Ed was slightly concerned, even if he didn’t want to say.

“I’m leaving. See you tomorrow Hagrid.” with that the bushy-haired girl walked out, and after a goodbye to Hagrid and a glare at the Alchemist, her two friends followed.

“You shouldn’t have said that.” growled Hagrid as soon as the door was shut.

“Maybe.” replied Ed, “But you saw how she doubted, she doubted and she ran. She lacks confidence and is wavering. She’s weak, and the weak are always a liability.”

With that, he too walked out of the cabin, and bidding him a goodnight, made sure that only his prints were visible in the cold unfeeling snow.

_**LINEBREAK** _

“Can you believe that man!” ranted Hermione as she paced the common room. “The nerve of him!”

“He’s a right prick.” agreed Ron.

“Besides, you know we’re your friends right Hermione?” added Harry.

“Of course I do.” she said quickly, a bit too quickly in Harry’s opinion.

“Alright, well I’m going to bed” as he stood up, Harry couldn’t help but notice that she was looking away from the two boys.

“I’m going as well,” said Ron also realizing Hermione’s reluctance to look  at them, “Night.”

As the boys went up, they shared looks of concern for their friend.

“Do you think she’ll be ok Harry?”

“I don’t know.”

As the two walked up, Hermione stared into the fire.

“Are they really my friends?” She thought over everything they had done the last four years together. The memories of them hanging around made her smile, but memories of her first year, and of how her friends always asked her about the homework, made her frown. Maybe...? “No!” she said sharply to herself. “That’s exactly what he wants, don’t give it to him!” Nodding firmly to herself, she too went to bed.

 


	42. Basically Ed is swept away

When Ed awoke, he groaned and tried to burrow more deeply into his covers. It was cold. He knew had to teach but he didn’t want to go. At all. He had to though, so with a groan he rolled out of bed and put on two pants and two shirts to try to ward off the unfeeling cold. It didn’t work, and he looked ridiculous. It looked like he would have to soldier through it. Well, he was a soldier wasn’t he? Okay, now he knew he was lonely, he was cracking weird jokes to himself. Shaking off his strange thoughts, Ed headed out to the kitchen and got his breakfast.

“So, how did you all get here?” asked Ed.

“We was born here sir” squeaked Taffy, “Alls of us except Dobby and Winky sir.”

“Have you ever left?”

“No sir, we is staying in the castle all our lives sir, unless we is called out of it, or if we is” Taffy gulped “freed.” she whispered barely loud enough for him to hear.

“What do free elves do?”

“They is dying sir. If we is not bonded to a wizard or home sir, we is dying.” The look of horror and fear on the tiny elf’s face sort of scared Ed,

“Well from what I’ve seen, Hogwarts will need elves for centuries to come, so you have nothing to fear.” He said with a grin.

“Thank you sir!” beamed Taffy, “You is best getting away sir, classes is starting. Taffy is getting to work now.”

“Right,” as he got up he made sure to crouch a bit to not tower over her. “Thanks for the food!”

“You is welcome.” she said as she scuttled away.

Ed sighed as he exited the kitchens it had been three weeks since Hagrid had come back. From what he heard, the toad had gone to one of his lessons and was very rude. The fortune telling teacher was also on probation. If he was being honest, he didn’t quite care, mainly because she had screeched something about cherries to him while he passed her one night on his way to the library. His ears had never been the same after that.

Turning his mind back to serious thoughts, he would be lying if he said he wasn’t even a little bit nervous for the Christmas break. The entire plan hinged on the wizards not being able to find him and him being unsupervised when he went on the train. Well, he could escape easily enough on a train, he’d done it before, but it was still not his best plan. If it hadn’t been for Hughes at the time, he would’ve died, or end up with some horrible injury. Not anything pleasant to say the least.

His classes went by in a flash, his fifth years were coming along quite nicely. Sure there were a couple of errors regarding polar and nonpolar molecules, but they were getting there, Longbottom especially. The kid had a greater drive than before all of a sudden, and he was ramming science head on, Ed would be lying if he said he wasn’t an itty bit fond of him.

His sixth years were  a tad bit slower to wrap their minds around the concept, but they were also getting there, though for some reason, covalent bonds tripped them up.

His seventh years were even more slower than the sixths, but he had faith they could perhaps manage at least one transmutation before the year was out.

For some reason, most of his students, especially the Gryffindors seemed very on edge. today. He just shrugged it off as anticipation for the break.

Almost as soon as his seventh year class let out, a small owl flew in with a letter in its beak and sat on his paperwork.

“What do you want?” he asked it. It just let out a little hoot, dropped the letter and flew off. He grabbed the letter and noticed it was addressed to him in a loopy handwriting. “Must be some old lady or something.” he muttered as he opened it.

_Edward,_

_I would be pleased if you would join me for a talk this evening at 7 o’clock._

_Signed,_

_Albus Dumbledore_

_P.S I do enjoy fizzing whizbees._

Ed burst out laughing, “How can I take you serious with that handwriting old man? And way to go on your subtlety, I can’t tell your passcode at all.” He sighed, “Still, I guess I have to go.”

After a while of learning Xingese, which was quite an interesting language, and grading papers, he looked at the clock, saw it was 5 to 7 and got up to go.

As he stood before the gargoyle, he said clearly, “Fizzing whizbee”, and walked in, thinking only of the periodic table incase the old man tried something again.

“Edward! I see you got my message.” Greeted Beard-Face.

“Yeah, I did,” He said, “what do you want?”

“I simply want to tell you about the christmas break plans.”

“Oh.” Boron, Carbon, Nitrogen, I hope I still have a chance.

“Yes, you will board the train with the students and be picked up at the station with Harry, Hermione, and Ronald.”

“Ok” Hydrogen, Tungsten, Sulfur, silver. Hell yeah, I can give them the slip, I’ve done it to soldiers before, I can do it with wizards too. Neon, Xenon, Helium “Is that all?”

“Yes.”

“Okay then, bye.” He didn’t stop thinking about the table until he left the office, he didn’t noticed the muttered words, Homonum Vestigium, or the flash of blue as he closed the doors.

**_ LINEBREAK _ **

“Minerva, get the other Weasley children, and get, him” said Dumbledore.

The Head of gryffindor was visibly startled. “Are you sure?”

“I am certain, he is needed.”

“Very well.”

Harry and Ron looked at each other equally confused, who were they talking about?

“Edward”

Quiet.

“Edward!”

Shut up.

“EDWARD!”

“WHAT!”

“Come out quickly! It’s an emergency, pack some bare essentials and come along!” Mcgonagall yelled through the door.

“Alright!” He yelled back. Thankfully, most of his things were packed, he wasn’t comfortable unpacking all of his things in this environment where doors and staircases moved. He grabbed Al’s letters and his research, shoved on his coat, shoes, and special gloves, and yanked the door open.

“That was quick.” Said a slightly surprised Mcgonagall.

“Not much to pack.” he grinned as he fell in step alongside her. “So what’s happening? Fire? Sneak attack? Extermination? Fill me in.”

“A member of the order has been attacked. We need someone to go as back up with the children affected incase they become targets. Your classes are the smallest and you are all around quite the recluse, you would not be missed as much as another teacher would be.”

Made sense, but.. “Who are the children?”

She hesitated, “The weasleys and...Harry Potter.”

At this point they reached the door and were about to go in when they heard a sickeningly familiar tap-tap-tap of shoes and a reedy voice screeching “Dumbledore!”

“Oh no.”

“I’ll head her off,” whispered Mcgonagall. “Go in.”

“But-”

“Go!” she said sharply with a commanding look.

“Yes!” squeaked Ed as he saw her inner Izumi come out.

He entered the room and as the door closed behind him and he looked up, he kinda wished he’d chosen to go against the other Professor.

He ignored the children and strode towards the desk. “Yes?”

They heard the heels come closer.

“Everyone grab this!” commanded the old man holding out a kettle

Edward did so on instinct and felt a lurch in his navel. Then the floor vanished beneath him. 


	43. Chapter 43

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, uh, I'm back?  
> Have a few chapters, and thanks to everyone who liked, commented, and read this story! You guys are great!

Disclaimer: I do not own HP or FMA  
When Ed landed, he was only grateful that he still had his dinner and suitcase, also the fact that he was still on his feet. As he looked around, he saw a house elf that looked very sick, both mentally, and physically. The elf was muttering to himself and while Ed was deciding whether or not to talk to him and ask where the hell he was, a man, around Havoc’s height, barged in and screamed, “OUT!”  
“That was loud.” muttered Ed, still a bit tired and not really caring who he was with.   
“Who’re you?” asked the man who had chin-length black hair, who looked rather startled to see him.  
“Sirius!” Exclaimed Harry as he rushed towards him.   
“Harry! What happened?”   
“Well, I see you have this under control so,” he saw a door, “Bye!” he yelled as he ran to it.  
“Hey!” Sirius yelled as the golden haired man ran away, he fumbled with his wand. “Come back! Stupefy!” the red light followed the man, but either it missed or he deflected it, because they failed to hear a thud of a body hitting the floor. Instead, they heard footsteps on the stairs and as Sirius raced after him, the children wondered if he could catch him in time.   
As Ed raced out of the kitchen, he reached a staircase and climbing it, he chanced a look down and saw a red light fade after hitting the wall. Realizing he had almost been hit, he arrived on the next landing with renewed vigor, as he looked both ways he noticed two things, one, there were footsteps on the staircase coming rapidly so he needed to make his choice quickly. Two, this place was styled in the same way as many manors that he had been in for assignments, he made a quick right and found himself in the entrance hall, “Bingo.” he grinned as he pulled the door open and looked out into the night. Glancing up, he saw the number 12. Looking back he saw the man pointing at him with a wand, he heard the word and turned to run, the red light caught him in the back, he felt it and screwed his eyes shut while he kept running, he felt a burst of energy and opened his eyes out of shock that he actually was not on the floor unconscious, but feeling more energized, which to be honest, he needed.   
“HAHA! Suckers!” he yelled as he sped away into the night.  
LINEBREAK0  
“So basically...”  
“You ran away and have no clue where to go.”  
“Yeah.”  
“Well aren’t you lucky that Alphonse is already on his way to London.”  
“Really!” This cheered him up considerably, if Al was coming, he could go meet him! Plus, they always worked well together.   
“He won’t arrive until tomorrow though,” said Colonel Jean Havoc crushing his dreams.  
“Fuck.”  
“I’ll give you the address to the apartment Mustang got for you.”  
“Thanks, but how will I get in?”  
“Don’t you have your pocket watch?”  
“Yeah, why?”  
“He put the key in your account.” There were unintelligible murmurs on the other side of the call, “Falman says it’ll work if you use your emergency code, the bank access thing is in our negotiations with England. The bank will know what’s what if you show your pocket watch.”  
“Alright, I’ll call you when I get there.”  
“Alright, see ya chief, stay safe.”  
“Thanks, bye Havoc.”  
As he hung up, he realized he did not know where the bank was, and it probably would’ve been best to ask that, but it had slipped his mind. He also realized, he did not have anymore change. “Well fuck.”  
After a tiring adventure during which he transmuted some grass into bread and scared some poor homeless man, (who he tried to explain Alchemy too but the man insisted he was the anti-christ), Edward finally arrived at the apartment and pretty much melted into the super soft bed.  
LINEBREAK  
“Who the hell was that?” asked the slightly shaken Lord of the Ancient and most Noble house of Black.  
“The um Alchemy teacher.” muttered Harry.  
“What-!”  
“Nevermind him, we have to go see Dad!” chimed the twins.  
“No you can’t.”  
After a bit of the arguing, the attention turned to Harry,  
“So, what happened?”  
“Uhm... I was dreaming and...” he faltered.  
“Never mind how it happened, you must all be tired so, go to bed.” Interjected Sirius. The looks he received let him know that his suggestion was not the best, so he just gave them all butterbeer. And he settled in to wait for the long night to pass.  
LINEBREAK  
“Alphonse! Over here!” Ed jumped up and down to catch his brothers attention as he stepped off of the train.  
“Brother!” Al’s face lit up with a smile as he made his way over to where his older brother was waiting.  
“Hey Al, how was your trip?” He asked while they were walking through the park on their way to the apartment.  
“Well I guess you could say it was”, the look on his face made Ed fear his little brother, “Educational.”  
Edward stood stock still. Then he turned and said, “Al, why don’t you do your big brother a favor and go to the TRASH WHERE YOU BELONG!”  
“But if I leave you alone for too long, someone might mistake you for a lost child.”  
“I’M NOT SHORT GODDAMMIT I’M SIX TWO!”  
“If you say so.” Al grinned as he strolled away.  
“You don’t even know which way to go!” Ed called out.  
“Yeah I do, the Colonel gave me the address before I left, and I looked at a map.”  
“Allllllllllll” whined Ed as rejoined his brother, “You’re gonna ruin my street cred.”  
“Don’t worry, you never had any to begin with.” Al grinned.  
“So cruel little brother” gasped Ed as he clutched his heart and bemoaned his traitorous brother as they walked along, while Al made sure his brother did not get runned over.   
“So are going to open the door or what?”   
“Rude.” sniffed the state alchemist as he opened the door.  
“Alright don’t bug me for a while.” sighed Alphonse as he fell onto the couch.   
“Why?”  
“Well you’re a flea aren’t you?”  
The sound Ed made could not be classified as human as he fell to the floor in his usual dramatic way.


	44. Chapter 44

“So what’s been going on brother?” Asked Al once Ed had recuperated and they had eaten dinner, as Ed had only shown signs of life at about 7.  
“Eh, stuff.” Edward replied vaguely as he waved his arm about flippantly.  
“Why are you out already anyway? I thought you had a couple of days left.”   
“Something may have happened...”  
“And what exactly was that something?” Al’s eyes narrowed only slightly, but enough that Edward felt a slight shiver of, not that he’d ever admit it, fear.  
After the entire sequence of events had been explained, Alphonse found himself sighing in annoyance at his idiot brother.   
“Ed, did you ever maybe once think about how your complete lack of respect maybe was not the best way to go?”  
“A bit,” sighed Edward, “But then I didn’t really know what was happening so it all kind of boomed.” He emphasized his point with sound effects, “ I may or may not have panicked.”  
“Ed....”  
“There’s no Equivalent Exchange! How does it work?”   
“I actually think I have a theory for that.”  
“You’re joking Al.”  
“Not really, I was looking through some texts in Xing and I found this text about magic, well in the sense of these wizards at least.”  
“What did it say?”  
“These people don’t control energy in the same way we do, they don’t grab it from the earth, but draw it from the air, which is why is appears as light. It does appear as light right?” A quick nod from his brother enabled Alphonse to continue. “Because of this, transmutation circles absorb their spells, or their energy in general just by contact. Brother, have you been hit by a spell?”  
“I think so?” Ed really wasn’t sure where Al was going with this.  
“How did you feel after it?”  
“Like I had three cups of coffee”  
“Because-”  
“We’re the matrix” both said at the same time, Alphonse in explanation, Ed in realization.  
“I’m invincible!” Yelled Ed  
“Not quite, it’s only as long as the spell takes a form of energy that we can absorb it. If it were in a state of matter, then it would affect even us.brother.”  
“Like potions.”  
“Huh?”  
“They have potions which are like liquids that they brew. They have crazy power in them, they can kill you, put you in a coma, make you tell a person everything they want to know, it’s endless.”  
“Ed, if that’s the case, then they could drug you and you wouldn’t know would you?”  
“Oh shit.” Ed swore he stopped breathing. “Fuck, fuck, fuckity fuck.”  
“Brother!”  
“Sorry, I was just thinking, what if I get drugged and spill everything?”  
Alphonse started laughing.  
“What?”  
“Spill the human beans.”  
“What the fuck? ALPHONSE THIS IS NOT THE TIME!” One glance at the clock however, revealed that it was indeed the time as it was past one in the morning and Al got very punny around this time.  
“But you still love me.”  
“Yeah I do. Now go to bed you loser.”  
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%  
Same day but earlier  
“So he left?”  
“Popped in, then ran out.”  
“I thought this would happen, don’t worry, Alastor will be there soon enough.”  
“Good luck.”  
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%  
Alastor Mad-Eye Moody was not a man to take things lightly. His constant phrase was constant vigilance. He had trained many Aurors in his day, and was considered a top notch dark wizard catcher even in his retirement. That being said, he wasn’t too sure about how he should feel, being called in by Dumbledore of all people to catch a muggle. The man barely gave him a lead. He escaped from headquarters, he could be in Brazil by now.  
“Catch the muggle they said, it’ll be easy they said.” he muttered under his breath. “Where the devil is he I’m saying.”   
Mad Eye had sadly resigned himself to the task of apparating to the highest points in neighborhoods and looking for the guy with his magic eye.   
“Red coat and gold hair huh? It’s past midnight, who’d wear a red coat to bed?” he asked himself as he walked around a park, apparating was tiring.  
“The anti-christ”  
“What.” The body that he had thought was asleep was, in fact, awake.  
“The anti-christ man! He’s been here, he was dressed in red!”  
“Anti- Christ?” Clearly this muggle was beyond this world. “Bugger off man, I don’t have the time.”  
“I’m telling you, he’s here! Spread the word man!”  
“I’m not giving you alms, no matter how much you threaten.” With that he walked into an alleyway and apparated away.  
“So, there is more than one anti-christ! Or maybe, the Anti-Christ just has a group of helpers! They must be everywhere!” The homeless man ran away in a panic, certain more people would come for him if he stayed. He must tell the world about the Anti-Christ. It was his destiny!  
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%  
“Sirius” Harry said breaking the silence, as mostly everyone had gone to sleep already after having been informed that Arthur Weasley would in fact, live through through his injury.  
“Yes?”  
“What can you tell me? About Elric?”  
Sirius sighed, “Not much to be honest, or the order would have my head.”   
“But-” Sirius put up his hand to stop him as he gulped the butterbeer he was drinking.  
“I’ll tell you a few things Harry,apart from what I told you before, but don’t expect too much. What do you want to know?”  
“Why is he here? Really?”  
“Again, to protect you, mainly, and hopefully join the Order.”  
“Join the Order?” Harry repeated in disbelief.   
“I know.” Sirius stopped his godsons upcoming tirade, “Both of those seem highly unlikely at present and almost impossible, but if the leader of his country, the top dog himself is recommending him. I’d say we should hope for the best.”  
“But he’s... he’s so rude and cocky and unprofessional.” Harry screwed his face up, “I don’t like him.”  
“You don’t need to kid” chuckled Sirius, “I don’t like Snape yet he’s still in the Order. You just need to keep your chin up, and don’t worry. As soon as I see his face again, I’ll punch him for you.”  
“You don’t need to go that far.” Laughed Harry.  
“Maybe, but I’ve been itching for some action recently.” Sirius smirked, conveniently forgetting what he had seen during Elric’s examination.  
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%  
Disclaimer: I do not own FMA or HP  
“Al you know what you should do?”  
“What?”  
“Cook your loving big brother breakfast.”  
“Maybe I should.”  
“Really?!”  
“How does fried air with wind on the side sound?”  
“Haha very funny Al”  
“So should we go out?”  
“Yeah I guess, just let me get ready.”  
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%  
Jade wasn’t as sharp as she would like to be. But with the rumor mill at max speed and the alchemy professor gone, and Potter missing, it didn’t take a genius to guess it was all connected.   
But it would take more effort than she’d like to find out why. Or she could just leave it be, which to be honest sounded better, then she could have plausible deniability.  
Yeah, she thought as she tried to remember the matrix for water, without smudging it too badly, that would probably be best.  
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%  
“So when are you going back?”  
“Back?”  
“Yeah, back to wherever it is you escaped from.” Al’s gaze and tone left room for no argument.  
“Never?” Because Ed still had to try.  
“Right now? Wow Ed I’m surprised at how responsible you are now!”  
“Fuck off.” Ed stretched on the brown bench in the park. “What about day after tomorrow?”  
“The day after christmas?”  
“Yeah they’ll probably be drunk off their asses and no one will notice me sneak in and I can act like I never left!”  
“Do you actually think that will work?”  
“Don’t kill my dreams Al.”


	45. Rice is Nice

Alphonse browsed the market aisle lazily wondering if he should get the five-pound bag of rice, or the last ten-pound bag, which was on sale, and if he could convince Ed to carry it. Just as he had decided that he could totally play the lonely Christmas card, and reached for the ten-pound bag, another hand appeared. He followed the arm it was attached to and found a young man with a scarred face looking back at him.

"Oh sorry about that, uh, you take it"

"No, no, you can have it, I'll just take two of the five-pound ones"

That was what he said, but his eyes told Alphonse that one ten-pound bag for 2 dollars, was better to him than two five-pound bags for 4 dollars. His clothes also screamed at him to have mercy on the poor man. Well, Alphonse reasoned, he did have a State Alchemist for a brother, so a little spending really wouldn't hurt him that much.

"Nah, it's fine, I'm only cooking for two anyways, I'll take a five-pound bag, you can have that one." Al shrugged.

"Really?"

"Yeah, it's fine"

"Thanks so much" Relief flooded the man's voice, "I'm just picking it up, but we are trying to feed about twenty people."

"That's a lot!" Al remarked as he grabbed two five-pound bags, "Well good luck with your cooking!" And as he walked away, he reasoned Ed could carry the two bags anyway.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

"Hey Moony" Said Sirius sticking his head into the kitchen.

"What Padfoot?" Sighed Remus, as he turned towards him.

"What's with the apron?" He asked, taking a step back.

"It was the only one I could find ok? I think it belonged to your mother?"

"You've seen my mother's sense of fashion, that's a compliment."

"Dear Merlin, you just brought up some painful memories."

"Speak for yourself, I had to live with her, those memories are etched in my mind."

"That would explain your sense of style when we were teens though." Mused Remus

"What did you say?"

"Nothing! So, what did you come here for?"

"Oh, so do you think Dumbledore would let me go out if I transformed and said I was looking for that bugger who ran away?"

"Do you even know what he looks like Padfoot?"

"Yeah, he's got yellow hair and eyes, shouldn't be too hard to find"

"Sure you go ahead-" Remus froze, "Wait what did you say?"

"That the guy shouldn't be too hard to find."

"No, before that, your description."

"He has yellow hair and eyes?"

"Oh shit."

"Ohhhhh" said Sirius in a singsong voice, "Moony cursed."

"Sirius I need you to watch the food for a bit" He said as he took off his apron and handed it to Sirius.

"Why?" Sirius said as he took Remus' place and the apron

"I need to go see Dumbledore right now immediately."

"Why?" Sirius said trying to knot the apron and not burn the rice.

"I think I saw Elric earlier."

"WHAT THE SHIT MOONY!" Roared Sirius as he stirred the soup, "GET YOUR ASS TO DUMBLEDORE NOW!"

"I KNOW IM GOING!" And as Remus grabbed the floo powder, he wondered how the man who had let him take the better deal, was hiding his metal arms, and why he looked so at ease, when the greatest mind in all of the wizarding world was so intent on finding him.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

"So, you say you saw him at the supermarket near headquarters?" Piercing blue eyes stared straight at Remus.

"Yes sir."

"Are you sure?"

"As certain as I can be sir."

"Very well, I'm sure Alastor will want to know about this." And as he flicked his wand to send a patronous, Albus Dumbledore wondered how all of this would turn out.

%%%%%%%%%%%%5%%%%%%%%%%%%%%55%%5%%%%%%%%555555555555

"Hey Al?" Ed grunted as they passed by the park again.

"Yeah?"

"Why are you making me carry everything?" He groaned out from his place a few steps behind Al, and appearing slightly shorter than he really was due to carrying an enormous amount of bags in each hand.

"Because you are my loving older brother." Al's smile didn't fool Ed and he knew this was payback for being remiss in his mission.

"Yeah yeah, whatever you say."

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

"So you're saying this man has been under our noses this whole time?" Moody grumbled. Being as paranoid as he was, he had run from Albus' patronous and tracking him down took a day as well. Now he was finally back at headquarters and had gone straight for Remus to interrogate him. Remus had thought he was about to die and so had entertained the idea of running way for a while.

"Now Moody, it has only been a few days." Remus tried to placate him.

"A day is long enough to plan an assassination boy! Enough to kill a hundred men!"

"Well no one's dead now, so it hardly matters."

"Just get him here already!" Interjected Sirius, who had already broken into the eggnog, "I want to give him a bloody nose."

"Sirius no." Remus said sternly.

"SIRIUS YES" he cried out, then he burst out laughing.

"On second thought," Remus turned towards Moody, "I don't think it would be best to bring Elric here no- "

But it was too late, Moody was gone, and Remus was left to reflect on his life choices.

**Author's Note:**

> Comment, subscribe, and be patient for the next chapter!


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